WA opens consultation on Aboriginal Lands Trust reforms aimed at direct Aboriginal control
Western Australia has opened consultation on reforms to remove barriers to Aboriginal Lands Trust divestment, with sessions across the state and feedback due by 4 September.
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Western Australia has opened public consultation on proposed reforms designed to make it easier for Aboriginal Lands Trust land to be transferred into Aboriginal ownership and management.
The Cook Labor Government said the draft Aboriginal Affairs Planning Authority Amendment Bill 2026 and supporting regulations are now open for feedback, with consultation running until 4 September. The reforms are aimed at removing longstanding legislative barriers and creating clearer pathways for Aboriginal people to own, manage and make decisions about land that has long been held for their benefit.
The government said the changes apply only to land within the Aboriginal Lands Trust estate, which covers about 21.9 million hectares, or roughly 8.7 per cent of Western Australia’s landmass. It said the proposed reforms are intended to support greater self-determination by allowing Aboriginal communities to have more direct control over land use and management.
Consultation sessions will be held in Perth on 3 August, Port Hedland on 6 August, Kalgoorlie on 11 August, Broome on 18 August and Kununurra on 20 August. An online consultation session is also scheduled for 14 August. Written submissions can be made through the Have Your Say WA website.
Feedback gathered during the consultation process will help shape the final legislation before the Bill is introduced to Parliament, according to the government. It said the draft bill and related materials, including fact sheets and the consultation schedule, are available through the WA Government’s document collection on the Aboriginal Affairs Planning Authority Act 1972.
The reform push follows earlier government statements that the legislation is being developed to modernise the Aboriginal Affairs Planning Authority Act 1972 by removing barriers to divestment, streamlining administration, updating terminology and clarifying the Aboriginal Lands Trust’s consultation responsibilities. The proposed changes also aim to align the law more closely with the Native Title Act 1993.
The government has previously said the reforms are intended to open up stronger social, cultural and economic opportunities for Aboriginal people living on the Aboriginal Lands Trust estate. Earlier material described the divestment effort as a way to enable Aboriginal people and organisations to transition land into direct control and to support community-led outcomes on Country.
In March, the government said drafting of the amendment bill and regulations was underway and that further engagement with stakeholders would continue as the legislation progressed. The latest consultation round is the next step in that process, with the state seeking input from Aboriginal people, stakeholders and the wider community before the Bill reaches Parliament.
For many communities, the issue goes to the heart of land rights, governance and future development. The consultation will help determine how the proposed laws operate in practice, including how land can be transferred, managed and used in ways that reflect local priorities and Aboriginal decision-making.
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