Councillors in Wingecarribee Shire Council voted to enter a lease with the Illawarra Local Aboriginal Council for a term of 99 years.
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The lease relates to the Aboriginal Community Cultural Centre on 1A Rainbow Road, Mittagong.
Councillor Larry Whipper was first to speak for the recommendation to lease the 1A Rainbow Road Mittagong property for a term of 99 years.
"This has gone through a long consultation process, it's been 18 months plus," he said.
"I believe that [Wingecarribee Shire Council] are not really a culturally appropriate mechanism to manage an Aboriginal cultural centre.
"There's no doubt in my mind that the Illawarra Land Council are much more culturally appropriate in terms to working closer and being able to make more achievements for the local Aboriginal community as well.
"I think it's time in the spirit of reconciliation is to move on and the only way to move on is to come together, to work together, and put our differences to rest and work for a common cause."
Councillor Ken Halstead also spoke up in support of the recommendation
"I strongly support this. They are the original people and I say that very sincerely I don't think anyone sitting here doesn't acknowledge that," he said.
Councillor Ian Scandrett voiced his concerns regarding the terms of the lease as the land is considered to be operational land.
"I don't think that this is as big as we think it is," he said.
"I can't predict one generation let alone 4 at this point in time. Generally speaking this council only gives 21 year leases but because this is not community land we can do 99 years.
"Well I can't get that.
"You might say this is going to be because of the security of having an Aboriginal land council in charge of this is going to work for us. Well I haven't seen it.
Speaking for the recommendation Councillor Peter Nelson said "the land may be operational but it would take a very brave council to move a motion to sell the land off."
"I think we've now come to this point in time and it's the correct way to go.
"I will be voting for it."
Councillor Garry Turland acknowledged that the Aboriginal community were the original custodians of the land.
"We never owned the land, they owned it before we did, they have more rights to it," he said.
Mayor Duncan Gair acknowledged that it had been a long journey.
"If your going to lease it to people with culture who have been here long before us, what's 100 years?" he said.
"If it doesn't work, the council owns the land. But what it does do is that it allows council to step back and we are not involved in anyway in the running of the centre as such.
"That is their own destiny and how they run it and in conjunction with the Illawarra Land Council is up to them."
Councillors Whipper, Halstead, Turland, Nelson and Mayor Gair voted in favour of the recommended 99 year lease. The only person who did not support the recommendation was Councillor Scandrett.
Councillors Graham McLaughlin, Gordon Markwart and Grahame Andrews were not in attendance.