YMAC welcomes newly elected Yamatji Chairperson: Mr Victor Mourambine

YMAC would like to welcome Mr Victor Mourambine, who has recently been elected as the new Yamatji Chairperson to our Board of Directors.

Victor is a Wajarri man from Northampton who has very deep ties to the region, and is grateful for the opportunities he has had to help his people.

He has a long history of working with the Aboriginal community, on the Commission of Elders at state and regional level, and through the Department of Justice helping prisoners. His work with Aboriginal prisoners earned him the Order of Australia.

Victor's work in native title is motivated by a desire to gain recognition for traditional owners. He wants to carry on the fight of elders who have passed before they were able to gain legal recognition of their country and culture.

To learn more about Victor's life and experiences of native title in Australia, please see the video below.

New Children's Book from West Australian Indigenous Artist

West Australian artist Norma MacDonald will release her new illustrated children's book next month through Indigenous publishing house, Magabala Books.

Spinifex Mouse is the tale of a cheeky, spinifex-hopping mouse who lives in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Written and Illustrated by Ms MacDonald, the book will be available from February 2013 in bookshops across Australia and online from Magabala Books, www.magabala.com

Magabala Books is a not-for-profit publishing house based in Broome that aims to promote, preserve and publish Indigenous Australian culture.

Norma MacDonald descends from both the Yamatji and Nyungar people of Western Australia. Spinifex Mouse follows on from her 2011 success, Stolen Girl, also published through Magabala Books.

         

Protection for Lake Moore in Midwest WA

The Badimia people’s ability to protect one of their most sacred places has recently been given a boost when the WA State Government dropped an appeal of a decision by the National Native Title Tribunal (NNTT). Lake Moore, a dry salt lake in the southern Murchison region of WA, has been found to be culturally significant by the NNTT on several occasions.

The NNTT has repeatedly found that as a site of particular significance, resource exploration licences that overlap the lake cannot be granted without negotiating with the Badimia people first. The State appealed the NNTT’s latest decision on the significance of Lake Moore, but recently discontinued the appeal.

Lake Moore Gypsum, the company seeking an exploration licence, now needs to negotiate with the Badimia people to reach an agreement about the exploration activities.

Lake Moore, located south of Paynes Find, is a very special area where Badimia families go every year to hunt, camp, collect bush medicines, and teach young people about their country and culture. Lake Moore and the surrounding area is not only important as a place for Badimia families to go out on country, but it is home to very sacred places where ceremonies traditionally took place.

New YMAC publication offers cultural advice

YMAC has today launched a Cultural Advice booklet for people working with Aboriginal people in the Midwest or Pilbara regions of WA. The booklet was produced with the advice and guidance of Traditional Owners, to give a short summary of cultural protocols people should be aware of.

"Each of the native title claim groups we represents has their own unique culture, but this guide has been designed to give broad advice for meetings and on-country visits. Non-Indigenous people from the private sector or government often come to do business with Traditional Owners and ask for advice on protocols. This guide serves as a good starting point," said YMAC CEO Simon Hawkins.

Download a pdf version from YMAC's website here, or email srosenfeld@ymac.org.au if you would like to receive a hard copy.

Check out YMAC News issue 16

The latest issue of YMAC News is now available from our website, featuring some great stories of Traditional Owners in the Pilbara and Midwest looking after their country, culture and heritage.

Click here to read about steps the Nyangumarta people have taken with the State Government to protect their sea country, a legal decision that supports protection of the heritage-listed Weld Range, YMAC staff learning about Aboriginal culture, and some exciting photos of recent law business at Warralong Aboriginal community.

This issue also includes the outcomes of YMAC's Annual Regional Meetings, information about YMAC's operations this summer, and a feature introducing two members of our Board of Directors, Selina Stewart and Ben Roberts.

If you would like to request hard copies of YMAC News or join our e-subscribers list and get information first, please contact srosenfeld@ymac.org.au.

Pilbara groups reach agreement with Rio Tinto



Centre: Neil Finlay, Kuruma Marthudunera elder,
and family at agreement signing.

Four Pilbara native title claim groups have announced they have signed Australia’s most comprehensive native title agreements with Rio Tinto.

The agreements are a result of seven years of extensive negotiations between the four groups, represented by Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation (YMAC), and the Rio Tinto Iron Ore group.

The final agreements give Rio Tinto certainty for its existing and future operations in the areas covered by the four native title claim groups;

• Nyiyaparli
• Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura
• Kuruma and Marthudunera
• Ngarlawangga (northern part of claim area).

The total area involved in the agreement is about 70,000 square kilometres and includes existing mining operations at Brockman 4, Mesa A, Mesa J, Hope Downs, as well as any future Rio Tinto mines and operations in the native title claim areas.

Under the agreement, the four native title claim groups have negotiated a range of economic and non-economic benefits. These include an income stream from mining on their lands, training and job opportunities, access to contracts for services for Rio Tinto and support for environmental and heritage activities. The agreement also includes mining exclusion zones that recognise the importance of significant sites such as burial and ceremonial sites, as well as important water holes and ecologically sensitive areas.

YMAC’s Chief Executive Officer, Simon Hawkins, said the four Aboriginal groups had worked tirelessly to reach agreement with Rio Tinto.

“The signing of these agreements is recognition of the professional way in which the parties have been able to work together to get the best outcomes,” he said.

“Through the negotiations, the native title groups now have an established relationship with Rio Tinto that they can build on for their future.

“The real work starts now to implement the agreements and ensure the native title claim groups benefit from their commitment,” he said.

Mr Hawkins said rigorous corporate governance and benefit management structures were being put in place to underpin the implementation of the agreements. This includes the establishment of four local Aboriginal corporations to manage the agreements for each group and a broader regional corporation to implement seven regional standards relating to Rio’s operations.

Indigenous Land Use Agreements (ILUAS) will be signed later this year between the four native title groups, Rio Tinto and the state government, with on-country celebrations planned for later in the year.

YMAC Hosts Regional Indigenous Discussions

YMAC recently hosted the Mid West Conversation (10 & 11 May in Geraldton) and Gascoyne Conversation (13 May in Carnarvon) events, on behalf of the WA State Government's Indigenous Implementation Board (IIB). The conversations were an open discussion for Aboriginal people, aimed at opening up a new way of working together in the region.

YMAC's Co-Chairperson, Roy Bellotti, YMAC Regional Manager, Donna Murdock with Dr Sue Gordon from the IIB. 

Around 35 Aboriginal leaders, community members and service providers attended each event to discuss key issues and priorities in the region including; health, education, employment, justice and regional governance. The key outcomes of the conversations will be put into a report for the WA State Government’s ‘Indigenous Implementation Board’ (IIB), which then makes recommendations to Minister of Indigenous Affairs Kim Hames.

The Wajarri People today celebrated the conclusion of the Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA) for the construction of the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder telescope (ASKAP)

The agreement was announced at Parliament House by the Wajarri People, their representativesYMAC, the Hon Christian Porter MLA, the Hon Brendan Grylls MLA, the Hon Troy Buswell MLA, and Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).

The Wajarri People have approximately 2000-3000 community members and one of the largest native title claims in Australia. Wajarri country includes the area chosen for the Australian Square including the area chosen for the ASKAP telescope. The agreement area covers approximately 130 square kilometres of land, located 175 kilometres west of Meekatharra. 

The agreement provides financial and non-financial benefits and ensures the cultural heritage of the Wajarri People is protected. Also, with a focus on Pia Aboriginal Community (just 30kms from the proposed SKA site), the agreement also included education opportunities, internet access and cadetships and mentoring for Wajarri kids.

Anthony Dann, Wajarri Traditional Owner said, “The myth that native title holds up development is false; this agreement was completed in record time and the future is looking bright. I look forward to the prospects that education, employment and training opportunities can bring to our community. It’s an exciting time for Wajarri People, the Mid-West and Australia that such a major development will be happening in our country.”

Image: Wajarri Representative, Anthony Dann. 

Media coverage:
http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/traditional-aborigines-shoot-for-the-stars-20091126-jugy.html

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/technology/sci-tech/native-title-claimants-support-galaxy-quest-20091127-jvlw.html