Aboriginals Benefit Account: $15m allocated in NT

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p2147-Akeyulerre-kidsRemote Northern Territory indigenous communities will benefit from $15 million worth of projects to be funded under the Aboriginals Benefit Account (ABA) latest funding round.
 
Included is $1.2m for Akeyulerre Inc (pictured) to “purchase and upgrade two Alice Springs properties to be used to hold cultural and healing activities”. The organisation has 13 employees.
 
Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Nigel Scullion, said 37 organisations will get financial support for more than 40 projects.
 
There are usually two ABA grant application rounds each year. The next grants funding round is expected to open in September 2015.
 
The ABA is a special account legislated under the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976.
 
The ABA receives statutory royalty equivalent monies from appropriations, the level of which is determined by the value of royalties generated from mining on Aboriginal land in the Northern Territory.
 
The current Aboriginals Benefit Account Advisory Committee is made up of a chair appointed by the Minister for a three year term (Patricia Brahim) and 14 members elected by the four Northern Territory land councils.
 
The members elected by the Central Land Council are Francis Kelly, Veronica Lynch, Sandra Morrison, Conrad Ratara and Harry Nelson.
Grants from the current round in The Centre are:-
 
• Arramwelke Aboriginal Corporation, Bonya (north-east of Alice Springs) and surrounding homelands, 10 employees, purchase of a replacement troop carrier to transport employees and directors of Arramwelke Aboriginal Corporation between Bonya and surrounding homelands to deliver municipal and essential services. $64,274.
 
• Central Desert Regional Council, 234 employees, improvements to Yuelamu and Pmara Junta (Ti Tree) sporting facilities which are vital social and recreational hubs. $258,300.
 
• Central Land Council, 135 employees, 75 communities, assist Aboriginal families and communities at the time of grief and need and provide necessary assistance at the time of significant cultural transmission and ceremony, $350,000. Repatriation of Sacred Objects, travel and accommodation for traditional owners and consultants to travel to Germany to negotiate the return of Aboriginal sacred objects. $38,520.
 
• Centre for Appropriate Technology, 19 employees, mobile phone coverage for small communities, Outstations at Hermannsburg, Utopia and Papunya. The project will support the delivery of 10 mobile hotspots in Aboriginal communities and provide employment and skills development for 15 Aboriginal people. $185,986.
 
• Amoonguna Community Development, upgrade and return the oval to a safe playing surface. The project also includes repairs and maintenance to the town hall, Men’s Shed, and community centre. $63,500.
 
• Indigenous Community Television Limited, 4 employees, Alice Springs region, purchase, installation and operation of digital television transmission services in Alice Springs, for the retransmission of ICTV to the greater Alice Springs region. $124,394.
 
• Institute for Aboriginal Development (IAD) Aboriginal Corporation, 8 employees, update and reprint dictionaries and associated resources on 15 Aboriginal languages of Central Australia. $220,000.
 
• Keringke Arts Aboriginal Corporation, Santa Teresa, 13 employees, minor building works and renovations, upgrade existing facilities to encourage more tourism. This will include upgrading toilet facilities and the paint preparation to meet workplace health and safety requirements, and aim to increase the level of comfort by installing sun shades, seating and a kitchen area. $65,000.
 
• Ngurratjuta / Pmara Ntjarra Aboriginal Corporation, 30 employees, Sandy Bore Outstation, move of a demountable house to Sandy Bore outstation and connect it to services. The house will be used as accommodation for further intergenerational engagement in enterprise on the outstation. $70,000.
 
• The Artists of Ampilatwatja Aboriginal Corporation, 2 employees, extend the Art Centre to enable Remote Jobs and Communities Programme activities to be conducted at the Centre and for the Centre to engage additional workers. $214,000.
 
• Warlpiri Youth Development Aboriginal Corporation, 24 employees, extend and enclose the current Mechanical Workshop space to allow for increased vehicle services and repairs to be undertaken in a safe environment, ensure security of equipment, parts and cars, all of which will increase income, local staff, and the sustainability of the enterprise. $350,000.
 
• Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation, 1 employee, Yuendumu and Nyirripi, extend the existing Art Centre to provide better work spaces and amenities for artists, staff and volunteers, improving its economic, cultural and social returns. $577,875.
 

– compiled from a media release from Minister Scullion.

 
 

5 COMMENTS

  1. Shouldn’t the Aboriginal corporations meet this grant $ for $?
    Bob Durnan and Ian Sharp previously commented, on a similar article, that the corporations do a lot of community services.
    So boys, how about it? Match it $ for $? There’s no hiding now.

  2. The headline is misleading. ALL ABA money is allocated in the NT. And no, it isn’t taxpayer’s money. It is “Royalty Equivalents” resulting from the NT Land Rights legislation. It is in fact Aboriginal Money (in some ways a form of rent) control of which has for a long time been usurped by politicians and bureaucrats of all political stripes
    And no, they are not Grants, they are allocations, to ask corporations to meet these “grants” dollar for dollar, is a nonsense. It is like asking a landlord to match his rent income before spending it.
    As for “wasted” money, how are these allocations any more wasted than say spending money on upgrading the Alice Springs Golf Course?

  3. Great to see that IAD Press will be updating and reprinting the language dictionaries.
    Central Australia is blessed with its many languages and the dictionaries play a part in keeping them alive.
    Too many languages are being lost and more power to IAD Press for its work in maintaining and helping keep alive these treasures.

  4. Yes, if not for IAD Press many language dictionaries would not be printed at all. Excellent to see this financial allocation to them.

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