Chaney drops native title tribunal

• one job for one black fella for five years;
• a majority white and non-traditional owner liaison committee will have their say about matters they know little about;
• if government want to build on the land (heritage protected or not), this ILUA gives local and state government the right to extinguish all traditional owners’ native title rights to the land, including building over our cultural sites; and
• government says this ILUA offers Aboriginal heritage protection, but the truth is, governments have recent history of not properly protecting our cultural sites - the Aboriginal Heritage Act is interpreted by government and a white minister who knows very little about Aboriginal culture and traditions.

Hopefully Mr Chaney’s recent resignation might force the government to rethink and make appropriate changes to the function of the NTT and in the process begin to restore confidence in organisation of Indigenous leaders like the Quenten Aguius of this world.

But then again perhaps that is wishful thinking on my part - but wouldn’t it be great if the NTT president, Graeme Neate; deputy presidents, The Hon. Christopher Sumner AM and John Sosso; full-time members, John Catlin, Graham Fletcher, Alistair McFarlane, Dan O’Dea, Dr Gaye Sculthorpe; and part-time members, Professor Laurence Boulle, Robert Faulkner PSM, Neville MacPherson and Ruth Wade  all follow Mr Chaney and adopt the line of Groucho Marx by saying:

Please accept my resignation. I don't care to belong to any club that will have me as a member.