The Alice Springs Town Council says it has had to delay preparations for the next fire season because of issues with the Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority.
The council has expressed concern that the authority wants to charge a fee of almost $38,000 to do sacred sites assessments in the Todd River as part of the council’s new fire management plan.
Council CEO Rex Mooney says the council has written to the Northern Territory’s Indigenous Policy Minister, Malarndirri McCarthy, asking her to intervene.
“It’s a time imperative now but the council just has to now await the outcome,” he said.
“The council has given a deadline of the middle of October to seek a response from the Minister and the council will be reviewing the situation at its October council meeting, just to see what other options might be available if a deal can be brokered.”