Not sure if this has been posted before....taken from the...

Not sure if this has been posted before....
taken from the website:

http://www.mjd.org.au/16-groote-eylandt.html

"As part of the Regional Partnership Agreement, traditional owners will grant a lease over the communities of Angurugu, Umbakumba and Milyakburra to the Australian Government. The lease will be for a period of 40 years and an option to renew for a further 40 years following a review. The lease will provide a secure basis for government and business investment and provide opportunities for home ownership. It will be granted later this year, once the communities have been surveyed."

This actually occurred in December 2008.

Couldn't be more directly said imo, the government has leased a portion of Groote for 40 + 40 years, to allow government AND business development...no songlines songbirds longjohns, cultural blockades, appeals etc.

It stands to reason this will allow Groote Resources access to the island I beleive I have read postings by yalinga, to the contrary, I may be wrong it may have been someone else correct me if I am wrong,its hard to remember as his posts are so long I almost fall asleep by the time I finish reading just one lol...

Also on a side note this lease has provided inhabitants of Groote access to Government Support Services and development that All Australian deserve.

This agreement that was for the purpose of development of the island is able to be viewed here

http://www.otl.gov.au/site/current.asp

In my opinion it has been represented many times on hotcopper that the mainstream culture and development is unwelcome by the inhabitants on Groote Eylandt.

Yet as part of the agreement 25 million dollars has been invested by the government to go towards new houses, housing maintenance, policing, health, indigenous employment and economic development..SO in fact development is welcome on Groote Eylandt and may only be objected to by a small active commitee group of TO's whom although vocal don't represnt the majority of TO's.

In fact Listen to this...

Taken from the Australian newspaper.....

Anindilyakwa Land Council chairman Tony Wurramarrba was quoted as saying... he hoped the regional partnership agreement, combined with township leases, would see bustling economic centres develop in the island communities.

web link.... http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/island-towns-first-to-sign-lease/story-e6frg6po-1111116397711


This sure is in contrast to the general sentiment as portrayed by username:Yalinga regarding the position of the inhabitants of Groote Eylandt ...

The more I look into this for myself the more suprised I am.

this is all my opinion