What are the benefits of a lease-back agreement?
Through return of Aboriginal ownership and lease-back arrangements for national parks:
- Aboriginal owners have the main say in the running of the Aboriginal owned parks and reserves through the board of management, on which they have the majority.
- The rental paid to the land council by the government must be used for the care, control and management of the park. The rental payments will vary from park to park and depend on a range of factors that are set out in the Act.
- The economic benefits for Aboriginal people come from the management of the park—this can include employment opportunities for Aboriginal people in park management, cultural tourism or contract work. These are all decisions that the board of management must make.
- Subject to the National Parks and Wildlife Act, the plan of management and the approval of the board, Aboriginal owners (and Aboriginal people with the consent of the Aboriginal owners) may hunt, gather and fish on the land for domestic, cultural and ceremonial purposes in accordance with Aboriginal traditions.
- When the land is transferred to an Aboriginal land council on behalf of the Aboriginal owners and during subsequent management processes, any native title rights or interests are preserved.
Do Aboriginal people get jobs in the national parks handed back? It will be up to the board of management to decide on management issues for the park, including employment—the size, location and nature of the park will affect how many people are needed for its management and what employment opportunities are available.
The NPWS may be able to provide access to its training programs and other educational opportunities to Aboriginal people who are involved in a joint management arrangement.
Page last updated: 27 February 2011
