The leader of the Liberal National Party has strongly defended the transfer of land to an Aboriginal company, despite the condemnation of his own colleagues.
The LNP’s internal battle is part of a wider struggle over the controversial transfer of the 210-hectare Toobeah Reserve as full ownership to the Bigambul Native Title Aboriginal Corporation in rural Queensland.
Goondiwindi Mayor Lawrence Springborg, a former LNP leader in the state that includes Toobeah, defended the deal despite bitter complaints from colleagues including federal MP Keith Pitt and Senator Matt Canavan.
Toobeah hotelier Michael Offerdahl described it as a secret “Aboriginal land grab” and said it will result in 95 per cent of the town and $2 million worth of land being given away.
Mr Offerdahl told Daily Mail Australia that Mr Springborg “asked me to support him as mayor before he did this shit to our city”.
“The Bigambul have no claim to this area, which is of greater significance than any other area in Australia,” he said.
‘It would be crazy to think that the only company in the municipality has no interest in the municipality.’
Queensland’s Aboriginal Land Act allows the state to transfer land held in trust for traditional owners to local Aboriginal corporations.
The internal LNP battle is part of a wider war over the controversial transfer of the 210-hectare Toobeah reserve to the Bigambul Native Title Aboriginal Corporation
Liberal National Party leader Lawrence Springborg (pictured) has strongly defended the transfer of land to an Aboriginal company – a process criticised by his own colleagues
This differs from an original title, where the land is transferred as a freehold title. This means that the owners can develop or use it as they wish.
Mr Pitt said it was a “mistake” and the “wrong approach” for the state to “just give away their land” to Aboriginal organisations.
“There are another 15 sites that, for who knows what reason, are being kept confidential,” the former natural resources minister said.
“So there are other locations in other cities that are directly affected, and no one knows about it. This is just another cover-up by the (Queensland) government.”
A Change.org petition launched by Mr Offerdahl in March against the transfer has already collected more than 6,500 signatures, despite the town having a population of just 300.
According to Mr Springborg, claims that 95 percent of the city would be ‘given away’ are ‘completely false’ and a ‘complete misrepresentation’.
“There is not a single square meter of people’s private land, or land that is lawfully accessible to the community, that can be affected by this,” he told the Courier post.
‘These land transfers have been taking place in Queensland since 1991.’
Aboriginal elders hold a smoking ceremony at the Toobeah Reserve, which will soon be transferred to Aboriginal control
Queensland Minister for Resources and Critical Minerals Scott Stewart also defended the transfer, saying there was “no cover-up”.
“A land transfer under the Aboriginal Land Act is granted as an ‘inalienable, freehold title’, meaning the land cannot be sold or mortgaged,” he previously told Daily Mail Australia.
Instead, the land is held ‘in trust for the benefit of the people involved in the land, who will continue to manage the land into the future’.
The minister added that ‘it is important to note that the Toobeah Reserve is outside the municipality.
“There has been no final decision on the reserve yet, but I think it is a good thing that the people of Bigambul are offering to work with the community.”
Although the state government denies that the land transfer will be final, it recently withdrew the Goondiwindi Regional Council’s management of the Toobeah Reserve, which it had held since 1906.
Bigambul residents have stated that they want to maintain a municipal water supply and access to the rodeo grounds on the reserve, and develop the reserve into an “eco-cultural attraction.”
Local entrepreneur Michael Offerdahl (third from right) said he was concerned that locals would have to ask permission to enter the reserve and that this could set a precedent for other areas.
Mr Springborg said the Aboriginal corporation was “happy” to talk to local people about granting them legal access to the reserve, which they currently do not have.
He said the council would also negotiate with Bigambul and the state government to purchase land in the area to allow the city, which is 400km south-west of Brisbane, to expand in the future.
According to the Bigambul, Mr Offerdahl had known for years about the proposed transfer of the land and ‘some community representatives have not been transparent about their own economic interests, access to and use of the reserve’.
Mr Offerdahl responded by saying: ‘Whether I knew it or not, I’m not part of the whole community and I clearly didn’t know how big this was. I would have exploded a long time ago (if I had known)’.