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Gulpilil, who comes from the Ramingining area in Arnhem Land and identifies with the crocodile, which is a totem from his mother's side, was looking for a way for Aborigines to take ownership of one of his people's great cultural assets.

Pitman and Gulpilil will on Monday present Environment Minister Peter Garrett with a proposal to relax Australian laws that reflect the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), so big-game hunters can travel to the Northern Territory, shoot large problem animals and take the trophies home.

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"They're not looking after that animal properly," says Gulpilil, who as a younger man killed crocodiles with a spear. "People are getting bitten and we don't like seeing that meat left to rot (when problem animals are shot). We want to do it the proper way.

"The owner of the crocodile dreaming is my mother's tribe. To me, it's very important. And we want the Government to understand that this corporation has to go forward. No one's ever done this before. We're organising for a future."

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The Northern Territory Government already issues up to 600 permits a year to capture or destroy crocodiles, including those that are attacking livestock or threatening humans. In practical terms, the issue is not about killing the animals.

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The Gupulul Marayuwu Aboriginal Corporation, of which Gulpilil's son, Jida, is a director, would organise for big-game hunters to shoot problem animals, after which Aboriginal workers would clean, tan and mount the trophies for export.

Jida Gulpilil thinks they'd pay between $10,000-$50,000 for the total service.

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In considering the issue, the previous federal environment minister, Ian Campbell, sought advice from croc hunter Steve Irwin, who was against the killing of any wild animal and persuaded Mr Campbell that crocodiles could not be killed humanely. But the issue has never gone away.

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The Gupulul corporation draws the line at bringing in hunters to shoot man-eaters, with Pitman saying that "to be involved in a devastating situation like that is not up my alley". And no government would ever permit such a thrill-kill anyway.

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Crocodiles that attack livestock or harass weekend fishermen are a different matter. Top End station owners routinely tell of disappearing stock, or suffering horses and cattle with their faces half ripped off.

The corporation thinks Aborigines could profit by letting big-game hunters do that job.

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"It's the apex predator and it's hard to hunt," says Pitman. "This is much different to hunting African crocodiles, where they all live together like bees.

"We'll be hunting one animal, which has its own territory, and you'll be pitting your wits against it."

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Mr Webb .... "The issue is not really about safari hunting: it's about professional management of wildlife."

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