Luku Ŋärra' (Yolngu Nations Assembly)
The Luku Ŋärra' forum or the Yolngu Nations Assembly is the movements namesake. It will be the principal governance forum for a unified Yolŋu nations government. Essentially the assembly will function as a ministerial leadership circle.
Dhumbalpa refers to traditional trade regions, and members for the Yolŋu Nations Assembly are to be elected from such a regional basis through official Ŋärra' institutional gatherings, whereby the power is also retained to withdraw members. The traditional Ŋärra' institution maintains constitutional law providing legitimacy for the assembly leadership, and this is the authority base the name Luku Ŋärra' refers to. The assembly is not itself a Ŋärra' institution but operates as a combined Dhuwa Yirritja leadership group with Ŋärra' endorsed authority. A legitimate government of the Yolŋu nations must use the Ŋärra' institution as a base of representative authority because it is the Yolŋu nations institution of nationhood, establishing at a fundamental level all lawful authority from time immemorial.
Dhumbalpa refers to traditional trade regions, and members for the Yolŋu Nations Assembly are to be elected from such a regional basis through official Ŋärra' institutional gatherings, whereby the power is also retained to withdraw members. The traditional Ŋärra' institution maintains constitutional law providing legitimacy for the assembly leadership, and this is the authority base the name Luku Ŋärra' refers to. The assembly is not itself a Ŋärra' institution but operates as a combined Dhuwa Yirritja leadership group with Ŋärra' endorsed authority. A legitimate government of the Yolŋu nations must use the Ŋärra' institution as a base of representative authority because it is the Yolŋu nations institution of nationhood, establishing at a fundamental level all lawful authority from time immemorial.
Draft Luku Ŋärra' Protocols
Election of Members:
- The Ŋärra’puy Assembly (Assembly) is made of four voting representative members (Members) from each province grouping (Provinces).
- From within each Province, properly established Dhuwa and Yirritja Ŋärra’ gatherings will elect a male and a female person from Dhuwa and a male and a female person from Yirritja to represent their Province. Those elected become Members of the Luku Ŋärra’.
- From within each Province, properly established Dhuwa and Yirritja Ŋärra’ gatherings can also remove Members elected from their Province.
- Each Province contains yirralka-estates. See schedule 2 for a list of yirralka and their bäpurru per Province.
- A properly established Dhuwa and Yirritja Ŋärra’ gathering has a quorum of at least 6 out of 10 voting bäpurru within the relevant Province.
-For matters of selecting Members voting bäpurru are those with a yirralka within the bounds of the province grouping.
Powers of the Assembly:
- The Luku Ŋärra’ is founded from the authority of Dhuwa and Yirrtja level Ŋärra’ Rom.
- The Luku Ŋärra’ Assembly forms the Ŋärra’ aspect of the traditional garma, dhuni, ŋärra’ conventions for participation in governance. It upholds the rights of Rom Wataŋu according to Maḏayin law.
- The Assembly respects the jurisdictional boundaries of bäpurru and riŋgitj corporate groupings. The forum is otherwise free to make laws and act as a government for the lands and peoples of the Provinces according to Maḏayin law.
- The Assembly will create its own operations and powers equivalent to Yothu Yindi separation of powers.
-The Assembly will establish a separate Gapaṉ-Milak institution for the enforcement of law.
- The Ŋärra’puy Assembly (Assembly) is made of four voting representative members (Members) from each province grouping (Provinces).
- From within each Province, properly established Dhuwa and Yirritja Ŋärra’ gatherings will elect a male and a female person from Dhuwa and a male and a female person from Yirritja to represent their Province. Those elected become Members of the Luku Ŋärra’.
- From within each Province, properly established Dhuwa and Yirritja Ŋärra’ gatherings can also remove Members elected from their Province.
- Each Province contains yirralka-estates. See schedule 2 for a list of yirralka and their bäpurru per Province.
- A properly established Dhuwa and Yirritja Ŋärra’ gathering has a quorum of at least 6 out of 10 voting bäpurru within the relevant Province.
-For matters of selecting Members voting bäpurru are those with a yirralka within the bounds of the province grouping.
Powers of the Assembly:
- The Luku Ŋärra’ is founded from the authority of Dhuwa and Yirrtja level Ŋärra’ Rom.
- The Luku Ŋärra’ Assembly forms the Ŋärra’ aspect of the traditional garma, dhuni, ŋärra’ conventions for participation in governance. It upholds the rights of Rom Wataŋu according to Maḏayin law.
- The Assembly respects the jurisdictional boundaries of bäpurru and riŋgitj corporate groupings. The forum is otherwise free to make laws and act as a government for the lands and peoples of the Provinces according to Maḏayin law.
- The Assembly will create its own operations and powers equivalent to Yothu Yindi separation of powers.
-The Assembly will establish a separate Gapaṉ-Milak institution for the enforcement of law.