The ILC and Land Acquisition

What is the land acquisition program? 

One of the ILC's two key functions, the Land Acquisition program assists Indigenous people to achieve economic, environmental, social and cultural benefits through acquiring and granting land. It seeks to build a secure and sustainable land base for Indigenous people now and for future generations.

The ILC Board gives priority to projects that:

• Target training delivery and creation of sustainable employment; and
• Are undertaken in collaboration with other agencies and organisations.

How does the ILC assist with land acquisition?

The Land Acquisition Program is guided by the National Indigenous Land Strategy 2007-2012.

The ILC assists Indigenous groups with land acquisition through two mechanisms:

1. Applications are submitted by Indigenous organisations for acquisition of a property to fulfill a particular land need. Application to the program is open to Indigenous organisations in urban, regional and remote areas throughout Australia.
2. Purchases are initiated by the ILC to deliver significant education, training and employment outcomes for Indigenous people.

What are the key outcomes of the Land Acquisition Program? 

The ILC has identified education, socio-economic development, and the protection of cultural and environmental heritage as key outcome areas for the delivery of economic, environmental, social and cultural benefits.

Socio-economic development

The ILC believes that a focus on increasing employment and work-ready training is the best way to achieve its priority outcome of socio-economic development, and that a range of economic, environmental, social and cultural benefits will flow from training and employment outcomes.

Applications for socio-economic development acquisitions and acquisitions initiated by the ILC must demonstrate that they will provide significant training, employment and other benefits for Indigenous people.

Applications for acquisitions to facilitate socio-economic development are subject to an annual call. Read more about applying...

Protection of cultural and environmental heritage

The ILC may assist in the acquisition of land with significant cultural and environmental heritage values, where it can be demonstrated that those values cannot be protected through other Commonwealth or State legislation.

Applications for acquisitions to protect land with significant cultural or environmental heritage can be made at any time. Read more about applying...

Education

The ILC is engaged in strategic partnerships with Commonwealth and State agencies and other stakeholders to develop a number of educational boarding facilities for Indigenous secondary students across northern Australia.

Work has also commenced on the National Indigenous Development Centre at Redfern in Sydney, which will deliver educational, training, sporting, organisational governance, arts and cultural outcomes for more than 5,000 young Indigenous people annually.

Applying to the land acquisition program

Indigenous organisations can apply to the ILC for assistance with land acquisition for the purpose of socio-economic development or the protection of cultural or environmental heritage. Read more...