East Arnhem Regional Council President, Lapulung Dhamarrandji welcomes the recognition of the National Indigenous Australians Agency CEO, Jody Broun, in her address to the ALGA National General Assembly in Canberra last week of “Indigenous led Local Government” and its important role in gaining real progress in Closing the Gap.

This acknowledgement followed the resounding endorsement of motions put forward by East Arnhem Regional Council at the National General Assembly of the Australian Local Government Association – in support of the formal recognition of Aboriginal Community Controlled Governments across the nation.

President Lapulung Dhamarrandji went on from the National General Assembly to meet with the new Minister for Indigenous Australians, Linda Burney at Parliament House, and Assistant Minister Malarndirri McCarthy, who joined from the Northern Territory. He welcomed their appointment as Ministers and the Indigenous leaders spoke with agreement about how real change and improvement in the lives and future of Indigenous people depends on true ground up leadership and capacity.

President Dhamarrandji and CEO, Dale Keehne, talked through how the First Nations East Arnhem Regional Council has up to 126 Indigenous representatives, including 14 elected Councillors across 6 cultural based areas, elected by over 10,000 community and homeland members across the Yolngu and Anindilyakwa peoples.

The President then moved to present Minister Burney with the ‘East Arnhem First Nations Call for Recognition’. He talked through the Call and how it affirms that the Aboriginal Controlled Local Authorities and Regional Government in the remote Northern Territory, offer a ‘bridge’ between Traditional Owners, Clans, Indigenous community and homeland members, Land Councils and other Aboriginal organisations -  with the two other levels of Balanda (non-Indigenous) government, to work in unity to Close the Gap. 

In line with the Call for Recognition, President Dhamarrandji invited Minister Burney to join him on country to join in the Makarrata ceremony, known as the Ralmanapanmirr ga Ngayanguwangnganythirr ceremony. As the Call for Recognition states “this ceremony, part of our sacred and unchanging Rom (Law), is the foundation to overcome the divisions between us, to allow for genuine truth telling, to develop understanding and real reconciliation and build unity and a better nation for us all.”

Council is pleased Chief Minister Natasha Fyles has accepted the invitation to join the important Makarrata ceremony and is currently liaising with the offices of the Chief Minister, Northern Territory Ministers Selena Uibo and Chansey Paech, Minister Linda Burney,  Senator Malarndirri McCarthy and Pat Dodson, Special Envoy for Constitutional Recognition and Implementation of the Uluru Statement – to confirm a date when all these important Ministers can join the important ceremony, most likely in September this year.

The full East Arnhem First Nations Call for Recognition can be read here.

Contact: Dale Keehne, CEO, East Arnhem Regional Council, 0458 039 348.