Aboriginal land and permits

There are different types of land lease arrangements over NTG assets on for Aboriginal owned land in the NT.

These are the main NTG lease types:

• infrastructure
• essential power, water and sewer
• government employee housing
• remote community housing
• whole of township.

Infrastructure leases

Generally, long-term infrastructure leases are negotiated for all government facilities for a term up to 40 years.

They include:

• schools
• health centres
• police stations
• training centres
• power stations and
• housing for government employees.

Remote community housing leases

Housing leases support NT and Australian government investments to maintain and build new housing in remote communities. The latest Federal Government agreement expires in 2034.

Traditional Aboriginal owners can approve leases over all existing housing, subdivision areas and new community housing lots in their community.

You can get more information about the joint NT and Australian Government Federal Funding Agreement on remote housing delivered through Our Community. Our Future. Our Homes on the Department of Housing, Local Government and Community Development website.

S19A ALRA township leases

These are long term head leases that are held and administered by an 'approved entity' within the meaning of the ALRA.

The terms of the head lease are negotiated between the parties and the Traditional Owners with the help of land councils.

Instead of a Land Council being the representative entity, several communities are administered by 'approved entities' such as the Executive Director of Township Leasing on behalf of the Australian Government, others are through representative organisations like Gundieihmi Aboriginal Corporation Jabiru Town.

The NTG will negotiate with the 'approved entity' for any land tenure approvals.

How NTG leases are negotiated

Leases for infrastructure, essential services, housing and future development on Aboriginal land are negotiated and coordinated by the Land Tenure Unit (LTU), part of the Housing and Land Servicing Branch within the Department of Logistics and Infrastructure.

The LTU works closely with traditional land owners through their respective land councils, approved entities and Aboriginal land owing corporations and other NT and Australian Government agencies to get approvals.

Contact

Land Tenure Unit
Housing and Land Servicing
Department of Logistics and Infrastructure
GPO Box 1680
Darwin NT 0801
Phone: (08) 8999 1913
landtenure.dli@nt.gov.au