A key recommendation in this report is that the Australian government should support initiatives to improve innovative use of land tenure systems across northern Australia and to make land management more effective and beneficial for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

The destruction of the Juukan Gorge heritage sites by Rio Tinto in May 2020 was an event that shocked the nation. This report highlights the need for legislative change at Commonwealth, State and Territory levels to ensure the protection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage.

The interim report highlights the disparity in power between Indigenous peoples and industry in the protection of Indigenous heritage, and the serious failings of legislation designed to protect Indigenous heritage and promote Native Title.

This inquiry examined the current state of northern Australia’s tourism industry, opportunities for growth, challenges and economic impediments that tourism operators face in northern Australia.