Native Title in the News - April 2015
|
DATE |
STATE |
SUBJECT |
SUMMARY |
SOURCE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
30/04/2015 |
SA |
Monax to go ahead with nickel exploration |
After the signing of a native title mining agreement with the Far West Coast Aboriginal Corporation, the Western Gawler Craton project in South Australia will be able to go ahead with on-ground exploration drilling. |
Australian Mining, Australia, |
|
30/04/2015 |
WA |
Campers still being removed from Heirisson |
Three people have been arrested as authorities clear out backpackers and other campers who moved in after the Nyoongar Tent Embassy withdrew from Perth's Heirisson island. |
9 News, Australia, 30 April 2015 |
|
29/04/2015 |
Australia |
Tony Abbott’s Indigenous ‘lifestyle choices’ remark smacks of racism, says UN rapporteur |
The UN’s special rapporteur on the rights of indigenous people said that the remark about remote communities by Tony Abbott smacks of racism. |
The Guardian, Australia, |
|
29/04/2015 |
WA |
Buru to Kick Off Major Oil Exploration Program in WA's Canning Basin in May |
Buru Energy has announced that it is about to start one of the biggest exploration programs in the Company’s history, targeting numerous conventional oil prospects in the Canning Basin in Western Australia’s northwest. The drilling campaign will also coincide with the start of commercial oil production at Ungani, where agreements were recently finalized with the three Native Title groups. |
Rigzone, Australia, |
|
29/04/2015 |
Australia |
Advocate disappointed Indigenous people have largely missed out on mining boom |
At a conference in Darwin, the former CEO of the Kimberley Land Council, Wayne Bergmann, said that more indigenous people should have been employed on mining projects on their own land and as a result, Indigenous communities have largely missed out on the mining boom. |
ABC – The World Today, Australia, 29 April 2015 |
|
28/04/2015 |
QLD |
Native title hearings begin in Cairns |
After more than 10 years, two native title claims have been finalised in Cairns. In one determination, land previously kept as the Bromley and Boynton pastoral stations on the Cape York Peninsula will be assigned to descendants of the Wuthathi, Kuuku Ya'u and Northern Kaanju people. In the second determination, an area of around 1181 square km in and around Shelburne Bay will be finalised for the Wuthathi people. |
News.com.au, Australia, SBS, Australia, 28 April 2015 The Guardian, Australia, The Australian – National Affairs, Australia, 29 April 2015 |
|
28/04/2015 |
WA |
Closing ‘communities’ undermines the humanity of Aboriginal lives |
The misguided ideological and short-sighted economic approach to close up to 150 ‘communities’ in Western Australia will actually threaten people’s homes. If you replace the word ‘community’ with ‘people’s homes’, the statement would be that the closure threatens at least 2000 homes. |
The Conversation, Australia, |
|
27/04/2015 |
WA |
Aboriginal communities should not be closed! |
This article examines the WA community closures from an international perspective. |
SOGIP – Actualites, 27 April 2015 |
|
26/04/2015 |
WA |
Beware the ‘framing’ of the conversation – ‘consultation’ is a dirty word – Don’t close any Homelands – end of story |
The focus on the need for government to ‘consult’ with the ‘remote communities’ is dangerous. It needs to be stated as ‘do not close any communities’. Throwing around the word ‘consultation’ buys into an argument that some Homelands and their communities should be closed. |
The Stringer, Australia, |
|
24/04/2015 |
QLD |
Digger’s family fighting for land rights |
Private Peter Craigie’s grandchildren have lodged a native title claim for a parcel of land which includes Ardmore, Stradbroke and Buckingham Downs stations. Peter Craigie’s grandson Joe Rogers said “we want to get that connection to the land where my grandfather was from…we don’t want their land, we just want native title rights and interests on the land of our grandfather, the black Digger.” |
The North West Star, Australia, 24 April 2015 |
|
24/04/2015 |
SA |
Kidman’s sale marks second wave of South Australian colonisation |
The announcement of S. Kidman & Co’s intention to sell their pastoral business and 11 leases has sparked interest across Indigenous social networks, as Kidman’s history long has been interwoven with Indigenous Australia. |
The Conversation, Australia, |
|
23/04/2015 |
WA |
Ugly scenes erupt at State Parliament |
Police clashed with about 200 demonstrators protesting against the closure of Aboriginal communities across WA in front of Parliament House. One man was arrested, others were hit with warnings and a police officer was knocked to the ground. |
The West Australian, Australia, 23 April 2015 |
|
23/04/2015 |
WA |
Noongar native title settlement: Federal Government to pay less than 1 per cent of $1.3 billion cost |
Colin Barnet has told WA Parliament that the Abbott Government has only agreed to contribute less than $11 million to the historic $1.3 billion native title settlement covering Perth and the South West. |
ABC News, Australia, The West Australian, Australia, 24 April 2015 |
|
22/04/2015 |
QLD |
Indigenous heritage site safe after miner drops plans to drill for gas |
Mantle Mining has retreated from plans to drill for gas at one of Australia’s oldest Indigenous heritage sites, Mount Mulligan, also known as Ngarrabullgan, prompting celebrations among the Djungan people. |
The Guardian, Australia, Green Left Weekly, Australia, |
|
21/04/2015 |
WA |
We come together to work on country |
The Murujuga ranger programme is working to ensure that country is cared for, family and community relationships are maintained, local businesses can grow to provide social, cultural and economic benefits and culture and heritage are transmitted to current and future generations. The rangers’ belief is “if you look after country, country will look after you.” |
indigenous.gov.au, Australia, |
|
20/04/2015 |
QLD |
Palaszczuk moves to quell bauxite project concern |
Queensland MP Billy Gordon has called on the Palaszczuk government to review how Swiss mining giant won backing for a bauxite mine against the wishes of Indigenous landowners. |
The Guardian, Australia, Courier Mail, Australia, The Australian – National Affairs, 22 April 2014 |
|
20/04/2015 |
VIC |
Phone psychic in nepotism claim over Aboriginal land |
A federal court judgement revealed a damning finding about the role of four former directors of the Bunurong Land Council. Justice Gordon banned them form running an Indigenous corporation in Australia for between three and seven years. |
Sydney Morning Herald, Australia, 20 April 2015 |
|
19/04/2015 |
WA |
Radioactive racism in the Wild West – WA takes aim at remote communities |
Mia Pepper says pushing Aboriginal people off their land for mining interests is nothing new in Western Australia, but Premier Barnett’s plans to close 150 communities and gut the Aboriginal Heritage Act takes it to a new level. |
The Stringer, Australia, |
|
16/04/2015 |
WA |
Training in land conservation in the Kimberley and in British Columbia |
Wynston Shovellor-Sesar, a Karajarri Ranger, is one of the West Kimberley’s first participants to reach his 26 week milestone as part of the his Certificate II in Conservation and Land Management through the Vocational Training and Employment Centre (VTEC) program. Wynston said he enjoyed his job working on country as “it involves working outdoors, mainly managing and protecting the land”. |
indigenous.gov.au, Australia, |
|
15/04/2015 |
WA |
Native Title Agreements Finalised |
The Ngarluma Aboriginal Corporation and Rutila Resources limited have signed a number of native title agreements authorising the development of the Balla Balla Port and that part of the proposed rail line to the central Pilbara region that is on Ngarluma country. |
Finance News Network, Australia, 15 April 2015 |
|
14/04/2015 |
QLD |
Opposition to Adani mine from Indigenous locals |
Amid opposition from the local Indigenous people, Mining giant Adani has been given the green light to take out mining leases for Australia's biggest coal mine. |
Brisbane Times, Australia, The Economic Times, India, The Times of India, India, The Economic Times, India, Gympie Times, Australia, |
|
14/04/2015 |
Australia |
Eminent judge on Mabo case remembered |
Tributes have flowed for Justice John Toohey, a judge on the landmark Mabo native title case. Noel Pearson has stated that Justice Toohey was one of the great Australian jurists. |
Yahoo 7 News, Australia, The Australian – National Affairs, Australia, 14 April 2015 Lawyers Weekly, Australia, The Monthly, Australia, |
|
13/04/2015 |
SA |
Minister Scullion: Funding certainty for remote SA Indigenous communities |
The Australian and South Australian Governments have signed an historic agreement that will provide municipal and essential services in remote Indigenous communities in South Australia from July 1 2015. The agreement will benefit more than 1500 Aboriginal people in remote South Australian communities. |
indigenous.gov.au, Australia, |
|
09/04/2015 |
QLD |
Petiton to block Adani Carmichael mine gathers steam |
A petition calling for the Queensland government to block Adani’s plan to build Australia's largest coal mine, has picked up more than 80,000 supporters. Last month, the Wangan and Jagalingou people rejected an Indigenous Land Use Agreement with the mining giant. |
Brisbane Times, Australia, Queensland Country Life, Australia, 9 April 2015 Red Flag, Australia, |
|
08/04/2015 |
Australia |
We need to protect remote Indigenous communities’ way of life: Pauline Hanson |
Pauline Hanson has emerged as an unlikely supporter of remote communities facing government closure saying she believes the choice by Indigenous people to stay in remote communities needed to be respected. |
SBS, Australia, 10 April 2015 |
|
07/04/2015 |
Australia |
Commission sets out rights agenda |
Human Rights Commissioner Tim Wilson has announced that he would prioritise a high-level forum with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner to discuss reforms that remove legal and regulatory barriers faced by native title holders seeking economic development. |
PSnews, Australia, 7 April 2015 |
|
03/04/2015 |
QLD |
It’s not just Indigenous Australians v. Adani over a coal mine. We should all join this fight |
Blair Palese said the Wangan and Jagalingou people’s rejection of the Indigenous land use agreement with Adani for the Carmichael coal mine will put our national values to the test. The decision is simple – a choice between preserving our history, our land and our environment or giving in to the interests of big coal and gas companies. |
The Guardian – opinion, Australia, 3 April 2015 |
|
03/04/2015 |
WA |
Buru Energy moves closer to oil productions in WA’s Kimberley with native title deal |
West Australian company Buru Energy has signed a land use agreement with the Yawuru people for the Ungani oil field in the Fitzroy valley. The traditional owners have vetoed fracking as part of the agreement. |
ABC News, Australia, ABC News, Australia, The Guardian, Australia, |
|
01/04/2015 |
QLD |
Native title determination in Gulf of Carpentaria opens way for home ownership |
The Federal Court decision recognising the native title rights and interests of the Gangalidda and Garawa Peoples’ over about 9350 square kilometres of land and waters around Burketown in the Gulf of Carpentaria has opened the way for local Indigenous people to own their own homes and for jobs in Burketown. Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Nigel Scullion, said “this decision will ensure the Gangalidda and Garawa peoples are able to continue their long held relationship with the land, and reap the economic benefits that native title brings.” |
indigenous.gov.au, Australia, My Sunshine Coast, Australia, |
|
01/04/2015 |
WA |
Aboriginal heritage test case overturns decision to deregister Port Hedland site |
The Supreme Court has quashed a decision by a West Australian Government committee to deregister a Port Hedland Aboriginal sacred site, as it was found that the definition of a sacred site being used by the Department of Aboriginal Affairs was invalid. As a result, Labor and the Greens are now calling for an urgent review of 22 formerly heritage-listed Aboriginal sacred sites. |
ABC News, Australia, The Guardian, Australia, WA today – Comment, Australia, 7 April 2015 The Australian, Australia, |
|
01/04/2015 |
WA |
How many Noongars actually voted for the extinguishing of their rights? |
The South West Settlement negotiated between the Western Australian Government and the South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council (SWALSC) has been voted on. But concerns are rising that the voting process may have only engaged less than a thousand citizens whereas the Noongar people number around 40,000. |
The Stinger, Australia, |
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