The National Native Title Council (NNTC) today launched its election platform for the 2016 campaign, calling on parties of all persuasions to work with the Indigenous Native Title Sector to deliver benefits for Indigenous communities across Australia.

Speaking at the National Native Title Conference in Darwin, NNTC CEO Glen Kelly laid out the following 5 key priority areas for the Sector seeking a commitment from all major parties:

Leveraging from Property Rights
• Support the efforts of Traditional Owners to achieve recognition of rights in land.
• Develop measures to enable the commercial application of native title rights.

Indigenous Advancement Strategy
• A more focussed IAS program.
• Greater funding certainty for Aboriginal controlled organisations.

Working on Country – Indigenous Protected Areas and Ranger Programs
• Support for the IPA and Ranger programs beyond 2018.
• Additional investment to achieve economic and social benefits.

Best Practice Standards for the Protection of Aboriginal Heritage
• A set of nationally prescribed standards for the protection of cultural heritage.

Amendments to the Native Title Act
• The reintroduction of the Native Title Amendment Bill 2012.

“There is no real reason why Government and the Indigenous Native Title Sector can’t collaborate on achieving these key objectives,” said Mr Kelly. “Whichever party forms Government it is important that they work in partnership with us to deliver on the key aspirations of Traditional Owners.”