A Snapshot Of The Northern Territory: The Territory Of Diversity.

A snapshot of the Northern Territory: the territory of diversity.

Introduction

This paper examines the challenges the Northern Territory of Australia faces in maintaining its economic, social and economic integrity. It considers the geographical, cultural, political and economic factors that impact on the Northern Territory and then addresses these in relation to the high population of Indigenous Australian's of the Northern Territory.

Demographic Statistics

The Northern Territory which has the highest population of persons identified as being of Indigenous origin. The Australian Bureau of Statistics 2001 Census shows that there were 410,003 people (2.2%) (202,954 males and 207,049 females) in Australia who identified as being of Indigenous origin (ABS, 2001). The highest percentage of these reside in the Northern Territory (25.1%). Interestingly since the 1996 census there was a reported increase of 57,033 people (16.2%) of persons identified as Indigenous origin (ABS, 2001).

This shows that in addressing the cultural, political and economical challenges in the Northern Territory these demographics must be considered and due to the Indigenous population addressed.

History of Land Rights

Since 1788, the existence of conflict in regard to land right and ownership has been present in the Indigenous community and those of nonÐ'-Indigenous origin. The Indigenous community present very strong and cultural ties with the land and this is often not understood or dismissed by those of non-ingenious descent.

The start of this conflict can be traced back to 1788 with the desire of European settlers to conquer, own and develop this land now know as Australia. Despite clear evidence that the Indigenous people occupied the land at time of settlement, this was dismissed and first settlers proclaimed the land to be Ð''terra nullius'(unowned and unoccupied). This was the beginning of a long and continual fight for land rights which would span out over decades and still continue to some extent in this present day (Trompf and Reid, 1997).

Aborigines were recognised in 1973 by the Labour government, as a distinctive cultural and ethnic group with a right to determine their own future. It was during this time that the department of Aboriginal Affairs became fully fledged. The Aboriginal Lands Rights Commission was also established to examine the land issue in the Northern Territory. In 1975, a Land Rights Bill for the Northern Territory was introduced into parliament, and in 1976 the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act became law (Trompf and Reid, 1997). This had a large impact on the Northern Territory, as land was able to be reclaimed by its Indigenous Australian inhabitants.

Cultural Understanding and Unity

In 1965 the main aim of the Assimilation Policy was that all persons of Aboriginal descent could choose to attain a similar manner of living to that of other Australians and live as members of a single Australian Community. This meant Aborigines could not be forced to become culturally the same as white Australians (Tromp and Reid, 1997).

It has been recognised that different cultural needs must be respected and met in the Northern Territory that are specific to its population and environment. The following observation by early settlers highlights the importance and significance the land has on Indigenous communities:

"No English words are good enough to give a sense of the links between an Aboriginal group and its homeland. Our Ð''home', warm and suggestive through it be, does not match the Aboriginal word that many mean Ð''camp', Ð''hearth', Ð''country', Ð''everlasting home', Ð''totem place', Ð''life source', Ð''spirit centre', and much else all in one. Our word Ð''land' is too sparse and meagre. We can now scarcely use it except with economic overtones unless we happen to be poets. The Aboriginal would speak of Ð''earth' and use the word in a richly symbolic way to mean his Ð''shoulder' or his Ð''side'. I have seen and Aboriginal embrace the earth he walked on. To put our words Ð''home' and Ð''land' together in Ð''homeland' is a little better but not much. A different tradition leaves us tongueless and earless towards words of meaning and significance. (Trompf and Reid, 1997, pp 7-8)

The high population of Indigenous people in the Northern Territory is something that must be considered when addressing its political and economic integrity. A simple example of this is shown in relation to healthcare services and culture, where it has been shown that provision of healthcare can be effective only if the service is being perceived by the client as being able to meet their needs (D'Cruz and Tham, 1990). This idea can be applied to areas not only of healthcare but political and economic matters. The decisions that are made and put into practice must be relevant and meet the needs of those in the Northern Territory otherwise they will be contested. Cooperation and alliance of the Northern Territory and its population need to be achieved, otherwise making them insufficient and pointless (Trompf and Reid, 1997).

Political issues

The Northern Territory is a diverse territory and the politics needs to be culturally relevant to its community and environments. In consideration of the high population of Indigenous people when addressing political matters and decisions a focus may be placed on this community. The Indigenous community has shown through the lessons of the past that it holds a power in its majority to force changes to policies and legislation. It has been stated by Trompf and Reid (1997) that since the mid 1960's, the most important gains in Aboriginal political, social and economic status has been the results of the actions of the Aboriginal people themselves.

One of the turning points for Indigenous people was an incident involving Vincent Lingiari who led a group of Gurindji stockman in the fight for the equal pay of those of non Indigenous origins. This then further progressed into the lobbing for the right of traditional land by the Gurindji people, who in 1975, after eight years were granted a title of 320,000 hectares of land (Trompf and Reid, 1997).

A change or victory no matter how small or partial is still a step towards a more positive future. This is summed up very well by singer and songwriter Paul Kelly in his song about Vincent Lingiari and this