Australia set to open up aboriginal lands

CANBERRA, Oct 4 (Reuters) Australia's Aborigines are set to lose the legal right to stop people entering their outback lands, which cover an area almost the size of Mongolia, sparking protests their homes will become an ''Aboriginal Disneyland''.

Indigenous Affairs Minister Mal Brough called today for submissions on why a 30-year-old access permit system, which he said closed off black communities from the world, should remain.

''My concern is that the permit system has created closed communities which are restricting the ability of individuals to interact with the wider community and furthermore to participate in the real economy,'' said Brough.

Brough said that opening Aboriginal land to outsiders would improve scrutiny and could help lower high rates of violence and sexual abuse in black communities.

''The permit system has not acted to protect vulnerable citizens, including women and children, and in fact makes scrutiny over dysfunctional communities more difficult,'' he said.

Under the access permit system controlled by Aboriginal leaders anyone trespassing on their land faces prosecution.

Australia's 460,000 Aborigines, who account for around 2.3 per cent of the 20 million population, own or control 20 per cent of Australian land, or 1.53 million sq km (593,000 sq miles).

Many live in remote outback communities with poor access to jobs, good housing, health services and education. Aborigines suffer high rates of domestic violence and alcohol abuse.

George Newhouse, a lawyer representing the Mutitjulu Aboriginal community next to tourist magnet Ayers Rock, or Uluru, said scrapping permits would turn Australia's last outposts of indigenous culture into an ''Aboriginal Disneyland''.

''If it was a white farmer who had a couple of houses on his property for stockmen, he could stop anyone coming on his land, so why does the minister want to strip Aboriginals of their right to some privacy?'' Newhouse told Reuters.

Newhouse said Australia's conservative government had a ''white superintendent'' approach and wanted to roll back hard-won rights giving Aborigines some control over their lands. ''Now it's time for the black fellas to feel their boot,'' he said.

Aboriginal leaders have tried to calm fears that the ruling could see people lose their homes or backyards by repeating that it would not affect freehold land. Freehold land accounts for only a small amount of Aboriginal-controlled land.

Prime Minister John Howard's government has often clashed with Aboriginal leaders, favouring practical measures such as better access to health and education to improve the lives of Aborigines, rather than more symbolic racial reconciliation issues such as land rights or an apology for past injustices.

REUTERS PDM RAI1117