Latest / 360 with Katie Woolf / Nothern Land Council CEO Joe Martin-Jard on the land handback ceremonies taking place in Kakadu and Mataranka

Transcript

Nothern Land Council CEO Joe Martin-Jard on the land handback ceremonies taking place in Kakadu and Mataranka · 360 with Katie Woolf

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: We know that today is an incredibly significant day. The
• 0:04
  Speaker 1: handback ceremony, a handback ceremony is going to be taking
• 0:07
  Speaker 1: place the europ hunger Well traditional owners of the Europhunga
• 0:12
  Speaker 1: and the Mangai Aboriginal Land Trust. They're advising that they're
• 0:17
  Speaker 1: going to be celebrating the official handbag of the Europunga
• 0:21
  Speaker 1: Township and joining us on the line to tell us
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  Speaker 1: a little bit more about exactly what is happening. It
• 0:26
  Speaker 1: is the NLC CEO Joe Martin Jard good morning to you,
• 0:30
  Speaker 1: Joey's good morning, Katie. Lovely to have you on the show. Joe,
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  Speaker 1: I understand that this ceremony, the handback ceremony, happening in
• 0:39
  Speaker 1: about twenty minutes time. Tell us what's happening.
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  Speaker 2: I look with the showgrounds at Matter Ranker and we've
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  Speaker 2: got a really good turn up. Minister Ken Whatt, the
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  Speaker 2: average Affairs minister. He flew in this morning from Darwen
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  Speaker 2: then and he's been joined by Senator McCarthy and Jesslena
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  Speaker 2: you both stand here a few other dignitaries. So it's
• 1:02
  Speaker 2: a really good turn up. And we're outside trying to
• 1:05
  Speaker 2: be COVID safe in an open area.
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  Speaker 1: Yep.
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  Speaker 2: And yeah, it's a really good atmosphere here today, Katie.
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  Speaker 1: Joe, what does it mean for those traditional owners that
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  Speaker 1: this official handback ceremony is taking place?
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  Speaker 2: It just means the end of a long road. I
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  Speaker 2: think that the land claim was lodged. I think someone
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  Speaker 2: told me nineteen years ago or something or even longer. So.
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  Speaker 2: And you know, to see some old people who have
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  Speaker 2: been on the journey from day one here today with
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  Speaker 2: big smiles on their faces, it's just terrific to see.
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  Speaker 1: It would be, it'd be terrific to see. And so
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  Speaker 1: it's the talk us through I suppose for those of
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  Speaker 1: us that maybe don't know exactly, you know exactly where
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  Speaker 1: it is. And when we talk about the handbag of
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  Speaker 1: this land, where is it exactly? Joe?
• 1:59
  Speaker 2: Well, it's near Mataranka. And if you drive out towards
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  Speaker 2: Raper River, the mouth of Raper River and the community
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  Speaker 2: of Nooka, it's out in that direction and you'll come
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  Speaker 2: across you're a Punga near the Raper Bar crossing. It's
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  Speaker 2: out in that neck of the woods. So to Pharaoh
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  Speaker 2: drive from Darwin, they we're talking about probably eight hours.
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  Speaker 1: Wow, Joe, how are those traditional owners you said that
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  Speaker 1: you think this land claim was launched about nineteen years ago,
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  Speaker 1: that's an awfully long time. Well, a long time ago, Joe.
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  Speaker 1: Let's go with a long time ago. It's spending a
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  Speaker 1: bloody long time. How they how are they feeling today?
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  Speaker 2: It's just great. And you know, we're seeing these old
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  Speaker 2: folks who first lodge the claim then are turning up
• 2:54
  Speaker 2: with their grandkids. So we've got kids and all sorts
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  Speaker 2: of people today. It's a really nice atmosphere. It's so positive.
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  Speaker 1: Oh well, I'm pleased to hear, and no doubt an
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  Speaker 1: incredibly historic day for everybody involved. So thank you very
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  Speaker 1: much for having a chat with us this morning. And
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  Speaker 1: I'm sure that the ceremony and everything's going to go
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  Speaker 1: very smoothly. It'll be really nice to see the photos
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  Speaker 1: and the vision come out of there, I reckon as well,
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  Speaker 1: as you've said, with those traditional owners with their grandkids
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  Speaker 1: and everybody there to really celebrate the occasion.
• 3:29
  Speaker 2: Thank you, Katie, all the best.
• 3:32
  Speaker 1: Thanks Mate, you too.