New draft law won't protect our sites, say Aboriginal groups
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[August 19, 2021]
MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Aboriginal
protesters on Thursday sharply criticised revisions to Western
Australia's heritage laws, saying that, under the proposed changes,
their traditional lands remained exposed to the risk of being destroyed
by developers.
Legislation in the state has until now largely green-lit development
projects on heritage sites, but the drafting of amendments to those laws
has gathered pace since Rio Tinto last year legally destroyed ancient
rock shelters for an iron ore mine there, prompting a public outcry.
The state government has begun briefing Indigenous groups, miners and
other stakeholders on the proposed revisions, and notes on the latest
draft seen by Reuters on Wednesday showed Aboriginal groups would get
wider rights of consultation on development projects.
But the groups would gain no veto, with a government-led process
determining the outcome of development applications where no agreement
could be reached through consultation.
On Thursday, members of major Western Australian land council groups
marched to Parliament House in Perth to demonstrate against the
proposals in their current form.
"Under this current draft, if the Minister decides destruction of
heritage can occur, it will. A key concern for us is the lack of appeal
or review available," said Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation, (YMAC)
in a statement.
"This is legislation about us, being written without us," added Kado
Muir, chair of National Native Title Council.
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A miner holds a lump of iron ore at a mine located in the Pilbara
region of Western Australia, December 2, 2013. REUTERS/David Gray
Rio's destruction of the sites at Juukan Gorge, which
showed signs of human habitation stretching back 46,000 years, also
cost top executives at the global mining firm their jobs and
prompted a national review of industry practices and national
heritage laws.
That review has yet to release its recommendations - another major
concern for the Aboriginal groups.
"We stood on the steps of parliament today to call on the government
to take this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get the laws around
Aboriginal cultural heritage right," said Kimberley Land Council
Chair, Anthony Watson in a statement.
"Traditional owners must have control over their cultural heritage."
(Reporting by Melanie Burton; editing by John Stonestreet)
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