Bring gas to Gove, says NT elder A PROMINENT Yolgnu elder in the Northern Territory is calling on the government to bring gas to Gove and enable Aboriginal communities to take more responsibility for their own affairs. Djawa Yunupingu, brother of the recently deceased Dr Yunupingu, has used his clan as an example of a successful Aboriginal community. Making a keynote address at the Garma Festival in East Arnhem Land on Thursday, Mr Yunupingu was speaking on the topic of bipartisanship, reconciliation and future prosperity. "The future is dangerous for us," he said. Too many of our last generations of children have grown up confused and unable to live their full lives in this world. He said the modern world places enormous pressures on Aboriginal society, taking away responsibility and leaving people dependent on handouts. Too much power was given to competing government bureaucracies at the expense of Aboriginal people, he said. "There are too many arms, like an octopus, except the octopus argues and competes with itself, tangling everything up and leaving us high and dry," he said. The money wasted is criminal. The effect on people's lives is criminal. Mr Yunupingu wants government to allow indigenous people to take the lead in business on their own lands, pointing out that the Yolgnu community runs shops, an abattoir, a meat processing plant, a waste dump, has fishing licenses, and an agreement with Rio Tinto. "I call on both (the federal and NT) governments and Rio Tinto to conclude an agreement to bring gas to Gove," he said. Pacific Aluminium, a Rio Tinto subsidiary, runs an alumina refinery at Gove, but has suggested it may have to close its operations if the government doesn't release cheaper gas to help it run. A closure would decimate the neighbouring community of Nhulunbuy, where over a third of the township are employed by the refinery and the majority of others run supporting businesses. "It's the future of the wellbeing of East Arnhem Land," Mr Yunupingu said. I ask the government and Rio Tinto to think about this very carefully, to get their heads together and make gas to Gove happen.