Genetic resources contain DNA and other genetic material necessary to sustain biodiversity and ecosystem services. Australia’s biodiversity legislation regulates access to, and sharing the benefits of using, genetic resources. The Commonwealth government is considering its options for complying with obligations under the UN’s Nagoya Protocol, including to allow for indigenous communities’ prior informed consent for third parties accessing genetic resources over which they have “an established right to grant access”. Meanwhile, it is pursuing its policy to “reform” indigenous land tenure to attract more intense development in northern Australia – the home to the majority of Australia’s biodiversity. Using a Kakadu Plum example, and highlighting recent proposals for reform, this article analyses the connection between access and benefit sharing (ABS) and land tenure laws. It concludes that policymakers must consider the effects of land tenure “reform” on ABS frameworks to avoid undermining indigenous communities’ current and future rights of consent for accessing and using biological and genetic resources from their land and waters.