Media releases

Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority v Vu Van Nguyen

Commercial mud crab fisherman, Mr Vu Van Nguyen has been convicted and fined $2,000 in the Local Court in Darwin, after being found guilty of working on a sacred site without an Authority Certificate, contrary to section 34 of the Northern Territory Aboriginal Sacred Sites Act 1989 .

Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority v Director of National Parks

The Northern Territory Local Court held a directions hearing in relation to the prosecution of an alleged breach of section 34 of the Sacred Sites Act by Parks Australia in the World Heritage listed Kakadu National Park. The Director of National Parks has raised a constitutional matter, asserting that the Director of National Parks has the benefit of Crown immunity...

Gunlom Walking Track

AAPA alleges that Parks Australia constructed a new walking track on the sacred site at Gunlom without an Authority Certificate and close to a key feature of the sacred site that is restricted according to Aboriginal tradition. At today’s hearing Parks Australia sought another adjournment, rather than indicate whether or not it would plead guilty

MRM needs to properly engage with custodians over mine expansion

Today the NT Government announced approval of an amended Mining Management Plan for a complex expansion of the mine that includes increasing its rock waste dump, or Northern Overburden Emplacement Facility, to 140metres.

National Broadband Network

Since 2012 the Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority (AAPA) has been working with the National Broadband Network Company (NBNCo) to provide sacred site clearance for NBNCo infrastructure in towns and regions of the Northern Territory. In 2014-2015 the AAPA completed Authority Certificates for the NBN Project over the townships of Alice Springs, Katherine, Tennant Creek, Nhulunbuy and parts of Darwin.

Historic conviction of miner for desecrating sacred site

The historic prosecution of a Singapore-based mining company for the desecration of an Aboriginal sacred site in the Northern Territory has prompted the Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority (AAPA) to call for miners to respect the law and honour their agreements, in the middle of a national mining boom. OM Manganese Ltd was today fined $150,000 in the Darwin Magistrates’ Court...

Bootu Creek - Alleged desecration of a sacred site

The Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority has taken legal action against a mining company following damage to a sacred site in the Barkly Region of the Northern Territory. The Authority has charged OM (Manganese) Ltd with two offences under the Northern Territory Aboriginal Sacred Sites Act 1989: desecrate a sacred site; and contravene an Authority Certificate.

Successful prosecution for damage to Alice Springs Sacred Site

In the Alice Springs Magistrates Court today, Mrs Julie Sanderson was found guilty of a charge under Section 34 of the Northern Territory Aboriginal Sacred Sites Act for damage caused to a sacred site. Charges were brought against Mrs Sanderson under the Sacred Sites Act relating to damage to the sacred ironwood tree during construction works.

Successful prosecution for damage to Alice Springs Sacred Site

In the Alice Springs Magistrates Court today, Mr Stephen Carson pleaded guilty to two charges under the Sacred Sites Act for damaging a sacred site. Mr Carson had an Authority Certificate permitting him to prune a sacred ironwood tree adjacent to his house but Mr Carson lopped the tree so severely that it died.