By Staff Writer

The Queensland Government has launched a review of legislation covering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island councils.

Forming part of its expansive reform on the local government sector, the Government will review the Local Government (Aboriginal Lands) Act 1978 and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities (Justice, Land and Other Matters) Act 1984.

Minister for Local Government and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, Desley Boyle, said the two acts contained provisions that were out-of-date and contradictory to provisions of the Local Government Act 2009.

“These two pieces of legislation overlap in parts and also differ in other areas such as alcohol provisions and rights of entry,” Boyle said.

“It is high time we reviewed and harmonised the legislation.”

Areas of overlap included hunting and gathering rights and the power of councils to employ community police to enforce local laws.

The local law of Mornington Island Shire, in particular, currently overrides some provisions, Boyle said.

“In general the rules in Aurukun and Mornington Island should be the same as other Aboriginal and Torres Strait councils and the same as other councils in Queensland,” she said.

“There’s no doubt many of these issues are going to be contentious. I assure the councils and the people of these communities that there will be thorough, local and genuine consultation.”

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