Latest news with #AboriginalHeritage
ABC News
4 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
Juukan Gorge traditional owners sign landmark agreement with Rio Tinto
Just over five years after Rio Tinto destroyed sacred sites at Juukan Gorge in WA's Pilbara region, the area's traditional owners have signed a new deal with the mining giant. The Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura (PKKP) Aboriginal Corporation and Rio Tinto announced the deal, which governs the company's iron ore operations on PKKP lands, on Monday morning. In a statement, the corporation says the deal gives traditional owners a "much greater say" about what happens on their country. It comes after years of tense relations between the PKKP people and Rio Tinto in the wake of the destruction of 47,000-year-old rock shelters. The new agreement appears to be a turning point, including commitments for both parties to work together at all stages of mining, which PKKP Aboriginal Corporation CEO Grant Wilson has described as groundbreaking and innovative. Pinikura traditional owner and corporation chair Terry Drage said it would also give Rio Tinto more certainty about where it could develop much earlier in the mine cycle. "Ultimately, this is good for us as traditional owners, and it is good for business," Mr Drage said. PKKP chief heritage officer Jordan Ralph has been outspoken about the flaws of the WA government's current heritage legislation, but said this new agreement went far beyond protections in the Aboriginal Heritage Act. "In the past, mining companies would only start engaging meaningfully with traditional owners at the end of their study process, after they have spent lots of capital and have put all their eggs in one basket by making key decisions without traditional owner involvement," Dr Ralph said. "What we've done here is remove that situation from the equation. We engage early, we give the mine planners the information they need, we remove important heritage from the mine plan, and we design the mine together." He said part of the agreement included a heritage protocol, which had strategies to protect sites through buffers, blast management and fencing. Rio Tinto said the the agreement reinforced its commitment to rehabilitate the Juukan Gorge area. "The destruction of the Juukan Gorge rock shelters on May 24, 2020 brought immeasurable pain to the PKKP and profoundly changed our company," Rio Tinto iron ore chief executive Simon Trott said. "Through the open and gracious sharing of knowledge and experiences, the PKKP have helped to shape a renewed approach to managing cultural heritage protection and mining activities."
ABC News
7 days ago
- General
- ABC News
Parking at Margaret River Pro exposes tension in Australia's biggest native title agreement
A dispute over parking at a major surfing event has exposed tension within the country's largest native title agreement as traditional owners accuse the West Australian government of undermining their authority. Five of the six regional native title bodies for the Noongar people say they are concerned the state government is undermining their agreed role as the foremost representatives in decision-making and consultation. The Yued, Gnaala Karla Booja, Ballardong, Wagyl Kaip Southern Noongar, and Karri Karrak Aboriginal corporations issued a joint statement to the ABC reiterating their role as the "front door" for people and organisations seeking to engage with traditional custodians and operate on country. "Only the Noongar Regional Corporations are required by law to represent all the people in their respective agreement areas — other organisations can only lay claim to representing a small subsection," the statement said. The groups' disquiet stems from the approval of parking near an Aboriginal burial site for the recent Margaret River Pro despite repeated objections from the Karri Karrak Aboriginal Corporation. Aboriginal Affairs Minister Don Punch recently defended the approval citing consultation and endorsement from the Undalup Association, a not-for-profit organisation formed in 2012 by Wardandi traditional custodians. The regional corporations have limited statutory authority under the state's 1972 Aboriginal Heritage Act and proponents are only legally required to engage with Noongar corporations when an Aboriginal heritage survey is required. Karri Karrak director and Wardandi woman Nicole Casey said the minister's position undermined the representative role of native title bodies set out in the terms of the 2021 South West Native Title Settlement — the biggest settlement in WA's history. "It certainly feels like it undermines the intent and purpose of that very difficult process," she said. In a statement to the ABC the World Surfing League said it received "all required permits through the correct avenues as advised by the state government". A Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage spokesperson said regional corporations played an important role in providing advice on cultural heritage matters. "The WA government encourages meaningful engagement and consultation with regional corporations as a key representative body for traditional owners in the region," the spokesperson said. There has been growing tension about Undalup and Karri Karrak's roles in Aboriginal cultural heritage consultation in the South West. Karri Karrak recently issued two statements rebuking proponents who had sought the endorsement of Undalup instead of its own. The second takes exception to the World Surfing League's approved use of the registered Aboriginal heritage site for parking, again with Undalup's support. Ms Casey said the relationship with Undalup was sensitive. "The Undalup Association is made up of people who are, for the most part, also members of the Karri Karrak Aboriginal Corporation — they are traditional owners of the region," she said. "It's always been our intention to walk respectfully with Undalup and to continue to develop those relationships they've spent many long years building up in the community, but the reality is the corporation was established for a purpose." The ABC has repeatedly contacted Undalup for comment on this matter. Yued Aboriginal Corporation chief executive Rewi Lyall said Noongar corporations' legal obligation to consult and represent the interests of traditional owners made their role vital in all relevant consultations within an agreement area. "Only the relevant native title body for a particular agreement area can ensure that everybody who is entitled to express an opinion about an act or decision affecting Aboriginal cultural heritage has an opportunity to do so," he said.
ABC News
23-05-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Pilbara traditional owner launches legal challenge to stall North West Shelf gas decision
A Pilbara traditional owner has launched a last-minute legal bid to halt the federal government's decision on an extension of Woodside's North West Shelf gas project. Lawyers for Raelene Cooper, a Mardudhunera woman and founder of the activist group Save our Songlines, filed the order yesterday at the Federal Court in Sydney. "I'm proud to be speaking on behalf of my people," Ms Cooper told the ABC. Woodside Energy is seeking to extend its Karratha North West Shelf gas facility, about 1,500 kilometres north of Perth, for another 40 years. It was given the go-ahead by the Western Australian government in December following a six-year assessment, but still requires Commonwealth approval. Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt has pledged to deliver the twice-delayed ruling by the end of next week. Ms Cooper's legal action demands Mr Watt first resolve an application lodged in February 2022, calling for the ancient rock art of Murujuga National Park to be protected. The application, submitted by Ms Cooper under Section 10 of the 1984 Aboriginal Heritage Protection Act, argues Woodside's industrial developments on the Burrup Peninsula pose a threat to thousands of Aboriginal petroglyphs. Section 10 allows the minister to make a declaration for the preservation of significant cultural heritage areas and halt works that could cause "injury or desecration". The federal government committed $17.7 million in its 2024-25 budget to reduce the backlog of Section 10 applications still awaiting a declaration. "It's absolutely ludicrous," Ms Cooper said. "I expect a decision and expect an answer. Ms Cooper has previously taken legal action against the government and resources companies over the development of the Pilbara. In 2023, she successfully suspended approval for Woodside's approval to carry out seismic testing off the Pilbara coast. Ms Cooper said she hoped the application would factor into the minister's potential extension of the North West Shelf project, which is expected in the coming weeks. Murujuga is home to some of the planet's oldest known rock art, and is nominated for UNSESCO World Heritage listing. The impact of industry emissions on the area, however, remains contentious. "How does the government actually say in one breath, '[There is] universal value in this place', and then, in the next breath, 'Yeah, just destroy it all,'" Ms Cooper said. In 2019, the state government announced a $27 million partnership with the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation (MAC) to monitor the effects of air quality on the petroglyphs. The program's interim findings were inconclusive, although Mr Watt told ABC Perth this week that the most up-to-date data would inform his decision. Ms Cooper's 2022 application includes testimony from several Pilbara traditional owners, describing fears that the environment and rock art would be harmed by further industry. In the time since that application was submitted to the federal government, then-Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek approved a $4.5 billion fertiliser plant outside Karratha despite those same concerns. "They've ripped up several hills to put in the Perdaman project since my Section 10 has been … submitted to government," Ms Cooper said. "It's been absolutely excruciating having to wait and then go back and forth to government." Mr Watt's decision on the North West Shelf follows a two-day trip to Perth, where he met with environmentalists, Indigenous groups, and business leaders on a range of policy issues. No Pilbara traditional owner groups or delegates were present at those meetings. Sean-Paul Stephens is the chief executive at Ngarluma Yindjibarndi Foundation (NYFL), the representative body for the land subject to Mr Watt's environmental approval. NYFL has been party to a land access agreement with Woodside since 1990. Mr Stephens said his organisation had not heard from Mr Watt, despite multiple requests to his office. "We're expecting them to come back with a proposed meeting date, but we would have preferred to have that date lined up this week while there's meetings going on in Perth," he said. "Any decisions that affect country, and affect the social, cultural and economic wellbeing of the First Nations community should be made or, at least, be informed while being on country. Mr Watt did not comment on the matter, despite multiple requests from the ABC.
ABC News
15-05-2025
- ABC News
Aboriginal relics 'squashed' by Mary Ann's Island golf course developer, court hears
A company with an exclusive lease to develop a golf course on public land near Hobart has been accused in court of "squashing" Aboriginal relics into the ground. Mary Ann's Island was charged with four counts of interfering with a relic contrary to the Aboriginal Heritage Act over its alleged actions at Gellibrand Point — or 'Arm End' — on the tip of the Arm End Peninsula. The company appeared in the Hobart Magistrates Court on Thursday, where it stated its intention to fight each of the charges. The court heard the land was recorded as a 'place' under the Aboriginal Heritage Register in 2013, with 31 Aboriginal heritage sites including human-generated shell deposits — or middens — and the discovery of artefacts. In 2014, the Tasmanian government granted Mary Ann's Island a lease to build a golf course and recreation reserve on the land, despite extensive and ongoing opposition from the Aboriginal Heritage Council which wants the land protected and handed back. The government then approved a permit for the company to interfere with 10 of the relic sites by building gravel walking paths, laying golf turf and carrying out revegetation works, the court was told. The court heard Parks and Wildlife (PWS) staff noticed alleged unauthorised works on the site in August 2022, prior to the company obtaining environmental management approval. Archaeologist Kate Moody inspected the land and found "a number of areas" where interference to midden sites had occurred. Prosecutor Letitia Fox told the court there was also evidence that was "indicative of a less than scrupulous regard by [Mary Ann's Island] of areas of possible Aboriginal heritage". The four charges cover three midden sites — none of which were included in the relics permit. The court heard a gravel road and temporary barricades encroached within one of the sites where "shell midden is present and identifiable". Another had "clearly visible" vehicle tracks through it, and evidence of burning and replanting. The third had pipes placed on it and evidence of vehicles having been driven through the area, "squashing them into the ground" and causing possible damage, Ms Fox told the court. The court heard the company had only marked out the sites that were subject to its relics permit, but not the other 21 sites. Ms Fox said some of the incidents were caused by contractors acting on behalf of Mary Ann's Island. "The sites near where the pipes were placed were not marked out until after the pipes were placed," she said. Ms Fox told the court that several contractors said they had received minimal instructions regarding Aboriginal heritage on the land. The court heard the pipes were placed on that site because it was raining. In earlier heritage reports, the sites had been described as "sparse scatters of shell midden material", including oyster and mussel shells, an indication of human interactions with the land, before European colonisation. Subsurface testing would have been required to fully determine the shells' origins, however Ms Fox told the court that given there are scattered shell deposits throughout the land, they were likely caused by humans. Acting for Mary Ann's Island, Craig Mackie said the company disputed this. "The word 'sparse' … and the word 'scatter', and the word 'material', dilute what you might expect a shell midden might look like," he told the court. "Having been to the site myself, with my instructors, it is very much in dispute about whether or not the areas that were allegedly interfered with do, in fact, constitute a shell midden or were simply shells that were there. "And whether or not they may have naturally occurred there, whether they may have come in or been placed there by some other reason, man-made … car tyres, birds may have put them there." Mr Mackie said the company also questioned the scale of "interference", and that the land had been farmed prior to the development of a golf course. The prosecution intends to call 15 witnesses, and the defence will call six witnesses. The matter was adjourned for a hearing at a later date.
SBS Australia
14-05-2025
- SBS Australia
A sacred Bpangerang women's site has been vandalised
A sacred Aboriginal site in north-east Victoria has been defaced with spray paint, prompting outrage and sadness from Traditional Custodians and local community advocates. The site, located at Paradise Falls in the King Valley — a culturally significant women's place for the Bpangerang people — was vandalised over the weekend. Graffiti was discovered on rocks within the sacred area, sparking calls for accountability and greater protection of Aboriginal heritage sites. The advocacy group Always Was, Always Will Be Bpangerang Country shared images of the damage on social media, condemning the act and urging those responsible to return and clean the site. 'This is a place of deep spiritual importance, and what's happened here is not just disrespectful — it's a violation of culture,' the group wrote. 'We're calling on the individuals who did this to come forward and take responsibility.' Paradise Falls is located around 305 kilometres from Melbourne. The waterfall, which drops over a layered rock formation, has long been a place of connection and ceremony for Bpangerang women. Authorities were notified of the incident by Parks Victoria. Victoria Police have confirmed they are investigating and have appealed for public assistance. 'The affected rock face is known to hold cultural value to local Indigenous communities,' a police spokesperson said. 'At this stage, there is no indication the act was targeted, but inquiries are ongoing.' Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
