Badimia People sign Native Title Agreement with Top Iron

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L-R: Greg Knox (Top Iron), Nick Revell (Top Iron), Badimia Traditional Owner Frank Walsh Jnr., Bruce Richardson (Top Iron), Kevin Stemp (Top Iron), with YMAC claim lawyer Paul Avina.

The Badimia People, Traditional Owners of land in the Midwest region of Western Australia, are pleased to announce they have entered into an agreement with Top Iron Pty Ltd. The agreement paves the way for the iron ore miners to develop their Greater Mummaloo Project in Badimia country, near the existing Extension Hill project.

The Badimia people will benefit from preferential contracting opportunities and employment targets on the project, as well as financial compensation linked to the project’s production. The company has also agreed to hand over all housing units and light vehicles to the Badimia people at the end of the project, further enhancing opportunities for Badimia businesses.

The agreement also includes several provisions to protect and promote Badimia culture and heritage, including heritage survey protocols, Badimia cultural awareness workshops for Top Iron employees, and avoidance of certain areas that are important to Badimia cultural heritage.

Badimia working group member Frank Walsh Jnr. said of the agreement, ‘Badimia people have once again shown that they can reach agreements like this with mining companies in our region and that we are quite supportive of those companies who totally respect and understand our Badimia people and culture.

'At the end of the day it is about empowering our people and communities. The financial aspects of these agreements are important, but the economic and employment opportunities, as well as heritage protections that arise out of these agreements, are also very significant’.

Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation (YMAC) CEO Simon Hawkins said, ‘The agreement was reached swiftly, after Top Iron made efforts to develop a positive relationship with the Badimia people before the formal negotiations began.

'The company made an effort to understand the community’s aspirations and concerns, so the negotiations went very smoothly and only took two formal meetings. This has laid the foundations for a good relationship between both parties for the future of the agreement’.