The Wire

A scathing response today on the land rights shake-up hinted by the Prime Minister, when he visited Wadeye in the Northern Territory last week. The idea involved scrapping communal land rights, in order to lease land to individuals, long-term. Supporters say land leases would provide leverage for mortgages, allowing people to build their own homes on remote communities. But the CEO of the South-West Land and Sea Council in Western Australia, Darryl Pearce, is among those who doubt the viability of the plan.