Fed: NLC negotiates for share of $500 million gas pipeline

00-00-0000
Fed: NLC negotiates for share of $500 million gas pipeline

CANBERRA, Aug 26 AAP - Top End Aborigines are negotiating for a share in a $500 milliongas pipeline to be built across their traditional lands, the Northern Land Council (NLC)said today.

Woodside Petroleum is planning the 1,000km pipe from the Blacktip gas field in theTimor Sea to the Alcan alumina refinery on the north-east tip of Arnhem Land.

NLC chief executive Norman Fry said negotiations were progressing with Woodside foran equity share in the pipe, which would traverse Aboriginal freehold land.

"Currently we're looking at a series of models about what is possible and also abouthow to raise the capital in order to take a position with equity," Mr Fry told ABC radio.

"We believe that some of these national infrastructure projects that are taking placeright on Aboriginal land, that we take advantage of these things.

"It's time that we as Aboriginal people started to take greater participation in theequity of all the economy that is in the Northern Territory."

The Aboriginal Land Rights (NT) Act, which has made half the NT land area Aboriginalfreehold, requires developers to negotiate with traditional owners.

Mr Fry said a new attitude of cooperation had developed in the business world to workwithin that Act and the Native Title Act.

"Everybody, especially the corporate world, realises that the Aboriginal people ofthe NT do not have much of an income in terms of the NT economy and they're playing theirrole as responsible corporate citizens to ensure that Aboriginal people benefit," he said.

AAP rmg/sb/apm/jlw

KEYWORD: PIPELINE LEAD