About the new Council
Establishment of the Groote Archipelago Regional Council
East Arnhem Regional Council (EARC) was formed in 2008 as a result of NT Government’s reform of local government, and introduction of the Local Government Act 2008 (the 2008 Act). The EARC’s boundary was drawn to incorporate an area of land across the Arnhem region, as well the entire Groote Archipelago, excluding the mining towns of Nhulunbuy on the Gove Peninsula and Alyangula on Groote Eylandt, which remain unincorporated areas.
Before the 2008 reform, three community government councils operated within the Groote Archipelago region, in the communities of Angurugu, Umbakumba and Milyakburra.
The Groote Archipelago Local Decision Making (LDM) Agreement was signed in 2018 between the Anindilyakwa Land Council (ALC) and NT Government. The Agreement outlines priority areas which the Anindilyakwa Traditional Owners wish to have control over and take responsibility for. A priority service delivery area outlined in the LDM Agreement was the establishment of a regional local government council for the Groote Archipelago.
Establishment of the Groote Archipelago Regional Council represents a return to local community control of local government services for Anindilyakwa and other community residents in the Groote Archipelago.
As part of its 2023-24 Budget, the NT Government endorsed the establishment of a new council as per the Groote Archipelago LDM Agreement and approved funding in 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25 for transition and establishment costs. The Local Government Implementation Plan was signed by the ALC and Northern Territory Government at Angurugu on 19 July 2023.
These steps enable the Constituting Member of the prospective Council to undertake the work necessary to establish the Groote Archipelago Regional Council. The Constituting Member constitutes the prospective council until the prospective council becomes the regional council after the general election. A general election is currently proposed for 20 April 2024.
The EARC will continue to operate in its current structure and provide services in the Groote Archipelago until such time as the results of the local government elections are declared.
The current Constituting Member of the Prospective Council was appointed on 17 August 2022, but will be retiring by 31 December 2023, and a hand-over to the new Constituting Member before that date is expected. The Minister for Local Government will appoint the Constituting Member, under section 19(6) of the Local Government Act 2019 (the 2019 Act).
The Constituting Member will appoint a Chief Executive Officer to manage the details of the transition of staff and assets from EARC, and to develop policies and procedures, and to assist the Constituting Member with community and stakeholder engagement.
An Advisory Committee to the Constituting member was formed and first met at the Council office in Angurugu on 28 September 2023.