Northern Territory Land Rights Act

In October, 1975, the Whitlam government introduced the Northern Territory Aboriginal Land Rights Bill.

While the House of Representatives considered the legislation an Interim Land Commissioner was appointed and began hearing claims. However on the day the bill was to go before the Senate the Governor General sacked the government. This was on November the eleventh, 1975.

Seven months and an election later Liberal Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser reintroduced the bill after modifying it to give the Northern Territory more responsibility. Other changes removed the right to claim land because of need.

This left traditional association with the land as the only basis for a legitimate claim.