NT: 40yr leases signed in four NT communities

AAP General News (Australia)
02-11-2009
NT: 40yr leases signed in four NT communities

Traditional owners from four remote Northern Territory communities have agreed to give
up control of their land for 40 years under lease deals with the federal government.

In return .. almost 160 million dollars in federal and NT funds will be spent on new
and upgraded housing in Wadeye .. Maningrida .. Gunbalanya and Galiwinku over the next
five years.

That'll mean about 300 new houses and refurbishing of 250 existing homes.

The HOWARD government introduced a 99-year lease scheme in the hope it'd stimulate
economic development in townships .. but Nguiu in the Tiwi Islands was the only community
to sign one before Labor won office.

AAP RTV tr/jmt

KEYWORD: INDIGENOUS LEASE (DARWIN)

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