Labor member for Lingiari Warren Snowdon has used the Northern Territory Land Rights Act to try and win votes with today’s announcement of land near Jabiru being handed back to Aboriginal owners, Country Liberals Senator for the Northern Territory Nigel Scullion said.

“The Bill that made this possible passed Parliament months ago. It was a bi-partisan decision but Labor held back the announcement to coincide with the election campaign,” Senator Scullion said.

“I welcome the land hand back but Labor held it back because they think Territorians are gullible enough to credit them for it, despite the fact the CLP had backed it.

“If Labor thinks it can win votes through sneaky tactics, they are wrong.

“Territorians are smarter than that – they see through Labor’s deception.

“Warren Snowdon presented the deed of grant this morning but the timing of it shows Aboriginal people are being used as political footballs again by Labor, as Mr Snowdon did when he used $90m from the NT Aboriginal Benefits Account to try and buy votes with Aboriginal money,” Senator Scullion said.

Download media release:
Jabiru release.pdf