Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976.

This Act makes provision in respect of the granting rights in traditional aboriginal land in the Northern Territory to aboriginals. The Act is divided into 7 Parts: Preliminary (I); Grants of land to Aboriginal Land Trusts (II); Executive Director of Township Leasing (IIA); Statutory rights over buildings or infrastructure (IIB); Aboriginal Land Councils (III); Mining (IV); Aboriginal Land Commissioners (V); Aboriginal Benefit Trust Account (VI); Miscellaneous (VII).
The Minister may, by Notice, establish Aboriginal Land Trusts to hold title to land in the Northern Territory for the benefit of Aboriginals entitled by Aboriginal tradition to the use or occupation of the land concerned (sect. 4). Functions of the Land Trust, are: (a) to hold title to land vested in accordance with this Act; (b) to exercise ownership rights for the benefit of Aboriginals concerned; (c) to acquire estates and interest in land for which the Trust has been named as grantee by a Land Council which holds the land in escrow and to deliver those estates and interests to the Crown. The Act establishes the Executive Director of Township Leasing which shall hold leases and subleases of community living areas, town camps and prescribed land on behalf of the Commonwealth (sect. 20). The Minister shall divide the Northern Territory into at least 2 areas and establish an Aboriginal Land Council for each area (sect. 21). Land Councils are established as a body corporate. Functions of the Councils are set out in section 23. Some sections concern mining and the relative grant of exploration rights and mining interests on aboriginal land.