Sara, I wonder if you know where the not inconsiderable amount of money, paid to the NLC from mining companies for the lease of their land, goes to.

David

Ok, if you offer opportunities to someone until you're blue & green in the face & they don't take the opportunities then it is the recipient's fault, not the one who offers !

I'm sorry to sound negative Sara, but I think we need to address the education problems suffered by many Aboriginal people before giving them the 'right' to borrow money off the equity of their traditional land holdings.
If they don't have a good education leading to regular employment, then how are they to make mortgage payments?
If these payments are paid by centrelink, then they are no better off really are they?
They are still reliant on government handouts.

I have worked in a community owned by Aboriginal people who had their young men trained as tradesmen to build their own homes with government grants.
Once they were completed and they had a community of several streets of their own homes, several of the residents trashed their homes and stole from other homes.
By a year later, most homes were condemned.

They need education and employment first.

address the education problems suffered...
Suseonline,
I'm afraid you're not choosing the right words here. I see it on a daily basis & let me assure you that the phrase education problems suffered is not incorrect.

suseonline,
sorry, typo. Correction, should be correct not incorrect. :-)