Latest news with #GrantWilson
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."
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Underdog Brandon Bobcats win men's volleyball title for 1st time, upsetting defending champs
The Brandon University Bobcats clawed their way to the top of the U Sports food chain on Sunday evening, claiming their first-ever national title in men's volleyball. The underdog Bobcats, ranked No. 8 going into the eight-team tournament, downed the defending champion Alberta Golden Bears three sets to one (25-20, 22-25, 28-26, 25-17). And they did it on home court at the Healthy Living Centre, in front of a standing-room-only crowd that exploded in celebration when a Bears spike went wide on match point. "It's indescribable," head coach Grant Wilson said following the game. "Everything you dreamed of. It's crazy." With that, the Bobcats finished their Canada West year with an overall win-loss record of 13-12, while the No. 3-ranked Golden Bears had a sparkling 21-6. To get there, Brandon had to first get through the quarterfinals against the No. 1 seed Winnipeg Wesmen (who close out the year with a 23-4 record) and then the No. 5 Saskatchewan Huskies in the semi-final. "Super surreal feeling," said J.J. Love, who recorded 10 blocks, 40 assists and seven digs in the gold-medal game. "We've had the program going for 20 years and we've never got close, so this is really awesome." Brandon University Bobcats pose with the trophy and championship banner. (U Sports Volleyball/ The Bobcats' title comes exactly one week after the University of Manitoba Bisons women's volleyball team was crowned national champs on their home court. They defeated the Montreal Carabins 3-1 in a best-of-five final to win their eighth U Sports title, but first in 11 years.
CBC
24-03-2025
- Sport
- CBC
Underdog Brandon Bobcats win men's volleyball title for 1st time, upsetting defending champs
The Brandon University Bobcats clawed their way to the top of the U Sports food chain on Sunday evening, claiming their first-ever national title in men's volleyball. The underdog Bobcats, ranked No. 8 going into the eight-team tournament, downed the defending champion Alberta Golden Bears three sets to one (25-20, 22-25, 28-26, 25-17). And they did it on home court at the Healthy Living Centre, in front of a standing-room-only crowd that exploded in celebration when a Bears spike went wide on match point. "It's indescribable," head coach Grant Wilson said following the game. "Everything you dreamed of. It's crazy." With that, the Bobcats finished their Canada West year with an overall win-loss record of 13-12, while the No. 3-ranked Golden Bears had a sparkling 21-6. To get there, Brandon had to first get through the quarterfinals against the No. 1 seed Winnipeg Wesmen (who close out the year with a 23-4 record) and then the No. 5 Saskatchewan Huskies in the semi-final. "Super surreal feeling," said J.J. Love, who recorded 10 blocks, 40 assists and seven digs in the gold-medal game. "We've had the program going for 20 years and we've never got close, so this is really awesome." The Bobcats' title comes exactly one week after the University of Manitoba Bisons women's volleyball team was crowned national champs on their home court. They defeated the Montreal Carabins 3-1 in a best-of-five final to win their eighth U Sports title, but first in 11 years.
