Northern Land Council chief Joe Morrison attacks Country Liberals Party in National Press Club speech

The head of Australia's largest land council has launched a scathing attack on the Country Liberals Party (CLP), saying it has been trying to seize back Aboriginal land recognised under the Land Rights Act.

Northern Land Council (NLC) chief executive Joe Morrison addressed the National Press Club in Canberra following the release of the 7th Closing the Gap report.

The latest report showed the Indigenous population had slipped backwards in many areas, such as reading, numeracy, employment and life expectancy.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott described the data as "profoundly disappointing".

In his speech, Mr Morrison accused Indigenous Affairs Minister and CLP senator Nigel Scullion of trying to wrestle back control of Indigenous land to gain better access to resources.

He said such an approach was in the DNA of the CLP.

"Successive governments in the Northern Territory spent millions and millions of public funds on bloody-minded legal challenges to almost every land claim," he said.

"From where we sit, it's in the DNA of the CLP to attack the Land Rights Act."

Mr Morrison said the NLC enjoyed "good relations" with Federal Minister for the Environment Greg Hunt, Minister for Industry and Science Ian MacFarlane, Minister for Employment Eric Abetz, Minister for Trade and Investment Andrew Robb and Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

"We have also enjoyed many positive interactions with members from the Greens, Labor and the independents," Mr Morrison said.

But he singled out Senator Scullion and the CLP.

"It is no accident that Minister Scullion is the first federal politician from the Northern Territory in any Coalition government to serve as Minister for Indigenous Affairs," he said.

"No other government has seen fit to ignore the political history of the Territory and allow the CLP to get its hands on the land rights machinery."

Mr Morrison also said the Federal Government was in an "ideological straight jacket" when it came to closing the gap between the Indigenous and non-Indigenous population.

He said its approach to tackling Indigenous disadvantage was fundamentally wrong, with too much emphasis on socio-economic figures.

"Investing in the things that also matter to Indigenous people, living on country, language and culture, these things are just as important in northern development like gas plants in Darwin Harbour, roads and ports," he said.

In December Mr Morrison accused Senator Scullion of breaking a promise that the Coalition would not review or amend the Land Rights Act if elected to government.

Morrison speech a wasted opportunity: Scullion

Senator Scullion said he had not heard Mr Morrison's Press Club address, but had heard "Joe's been giving (you) a bit of a touch up".

"Where do you start? It's a conspiracy to steal Aboriginal land and sell it?" Senator Scullin said of Mr Morrison's comments.

"You had an opportunity to speak to the National Press Club, I would have thought you'd use it more wisely."

Senator Scullion said his relationship with the NLC had not broken down.

"There are a couple of people in the executive of the NLC who I still see as friends," he said.

"I know them very well, and perhaps that's why there is a fairly robust nature to the relationship."

Senator Scullion said he worked "very closely with my constituency and I am very aware of their needs".

"This is all about traditional owners and Aboriginal people wanting to have more say over their land, rather than the land council from Darwin dictating what they do to their land," he said.

A lot of challenges: Giles

At today's swearing in of the 10th CLP Cabinet under his leadership, Chief Minister Adam Giles said the role government played in securing private ownership of land in Aboriginal communities was "not combative".

"We all want to see Aboriginal Territorians get into home ownership, but we are not going to force that, as a policy, where people have to do that," he said.

Mr Giles said there were a lot of challenges around the issue, but said "we want to make sure we walk together".

"It is not a combative role, it is working in partnership."