‘The Country Needs Its People – People Need Their Country'

David Ross spells it out at Land and Sea Conference

By David Ross
Director, Central Lands Council

Here in the NT, particularly in central Australia , Aboriginal people are the major landowners and hold title to 51% of the CLC region. Much of this land was granted to traditional owners (under the Land Rights Act) because it was too marginal for pastoralism - the land was no good for anybody else. The path to a sustainable livelihood for Aboriginal people on their own country is by no means a clear one and I do not pretend to have all the answers to the many challenges involved. It will not happen overnight and there is no room for a 'cut and run' approach. However, it is beyond doubt that the country still needs its people as much as the people need their country.

The full text of David Ross' important speech is at this link http://www.clc.org.au/OurLand/land_management/conference/rossspeech.asp

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