NSW Aboriginal Land Council disputes Leeton land claim litigation

The NSW Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC) has criticized the NSW government for engaging in an ‘avoidable legal dispute’ regarding a land claim in Leeton. A Land and Environment Court ruling on August 7, 2026, ordered the state to pay the legal costs of the NSWALC after overturning a 2023 government refusal of the claim.

Justice Nicola Pritchard confirmed that Aboriginal Land Claim 51922, covering a site in Leeton’s town centre near the courthouse, is valid under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983. The land, which has been used informally for parking, will be transferred to the Leeton & District LALC.

NSWALC chairperson Ray Kelly stated that the council had previously attempted to resolve the matter out of court. He noted that a 2024 proposal offered to transfer the property while providing government entities with a five-year parking licence, but the minister chose to contest the claim instead.