Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Why does this government pretend that it does not need to speak to anybody?



MS J. FARRER (Kimberley) 

I rise to speak on the Natural Gas (Canning Basin Joint Venture) Agreement Bill 2013. There has been no consultation with traditional owners whatsoever. The first step that should be taken is to show some respect to these people. We see this project covering a huge area of the country for some of the biggest language groups across the west and into part of the East Kimberley areas, including the Nyikana–Mangala, Karrajarri, Gooniyandi, Ngurrara, Tjurabalan, Walmajarri, Juwaliny, Yawuru, Bunuba and some Jaru land. There are 10 different language groups. These languages are different from each other. A few are similar in dialect. We all know that a development of this type will have a big impact on the land use and practises of local Aboriginal people, and also the social impact that will occur once areas become established. Why is our Premier supporting large multicultural joint venture partners such as Mitsubishi, which we hear are foreign owned, and not protecting the rights of some of his most disadvantaged constituents? 

The interaction between the state agreement act and the future act regime of the Native Title Act clearly blunts the few powerful instruments that traditional owners have in those areas by consistently and negatively affecting their rights to negotiate or to object to this development, which covers an enormous area of 17 000 square kilometres. That area is bigger than Perth through to the outer lying suburbs, which is estimated to be roughly 300 kilometres in circumference. The area of this project extends from Broome and Derby, which are in the Shire of Derby–West Kimberley, through to Halls Creek in the Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley. That accommodates the Gooniyandi and the Jaru groups. We all know that when any changes or development in that 300-kilometre radius around Perth is proposed, people are consulted by their shires or electorates before any development occurs. 

Why does this government pretend that it does not need to speak to anybody? This government needs to meet and speak to native title holders about their lands. It should remember that these lands are home to a large number of Aboriginal people. Respect should be shown to these people and their families. After all, their native title rights have been recognised as only they can speak for their country. 

I believe that the Premier should meet with members from these 10 different language groups within the claim area that Buru has outlined. After all, it is their country and lands and it is recognised under the national Native Title Act as belonging to them and their families. Respect should be shown at all times. If some mining companies can do this, surely this government should be able to do this. After all, we are elected into government for only a few years, not forever.

3 comments:

  1. Pretty simple really Josie.

    After the grovelling sneaky back stabbing lousy dirty corrupt disgusting foul behaviour by Bergman and the KLC against the people they were supposed to be representing and protecting (you must remember you were/are on the KLC and backed the stinking scumbags in on their underhanded plan)and how you all bent over for Barnett and Voelte and then bent over some more accepted and spent all their bribe money and then asked for more how you spent all your time doing the very best you could to undermine blackfella law with the two faced fork tongued whitefella law then when you were all up to your ears in the stinking filth decided to turn on the honest community members that rightly saw the wrongs you were all doing and set the police and their spy agencies on innocent people arrested fined and jailed them just so you could all get your stinky fingers on some money for your greedy money faced schemes pretending all the time suicide was the cause you supported (where is all the money they have given you now?how much went into suicide prevention and how much went into all your big fat guts?)after all this it may surprise you to know Barnett thinks he can do what he likes because Bergman has so undermined the kred of the KLC they have no kred left so now we all have Tony Abbott gonna be PM and he will team up with Barnett and you imbeciles who have left nothing for anyone to respect or fear are now all complaining 'cause no one wants to talk to you 'cause no one respects you because you have all destroyed any respect the KLC once had now they are only known as a sell out organisation and yes they will speak to you when it's time for you all to sell out behind everyones back again until then see you 'round like a rissole ***********'s

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  2. Well done, I totally agree.

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  3. Not far off, apart from the fact that the KLC has had corruption problems for far longer than that. It just wasn't over so much money and always was tucked under the carpet on the basis "we cant' expose these things, because it will undermine the land council and the fight for land rights".

    Unfortunately that encourages a culture of corruption, cover up, nepotism and self interest- all hidden under a blanket of "acting for the good of the mob". Then you get a big deal and a vast amount of money waved as a carrot and suddenly your organisation can't handle it- because it lacks moral fortitude.

    As for the "two faced fork tongued white fella law"- I think its more of a problem of how it's used and abused by the rich and powerful to suit their own agenda. Compared to many other parts of the world we don't have it so bad.

    Corruption doesn't recognize skin color nor politics. Look at NSW politics-the brown paper bags of cash and influence peddlers cross party lines fluidly, and it does just as easily across the racial divide in Africa, Asia, USA, Europe and all the way thru to our beloved Kimberley.
    Corruption and those that practice it also love to make the situations more complex (more easy to hide in the confusion) and also love to drag in the naive, the ignorant, the innocent and the passionate to also muddy the waters.

    If earlier concerns that many people had with the KLC and groups like ATSIC had been addressed and whistle blowers protected and encouraged this might of gone differently (maybe!!) and you could still have robust, respected organisations.

    My sympathy goes to the GOOD people that I know that have worked with and for both organisations and ESPECIALLY the old people that endured so much and hoped for more, many of whom died waiting while enduring crime, poverty, suicides, poor health, lack of food while others sucked up huge budgets as fast as their snouts could----- the salaries, the expense accounts, the overseas trips, the cars, the hotels, the dinners, the openings, the grand speeches.

    But you can't change that its done!

    You can learn from it though--DON'T GIVE UP--get better at it, organise. Fight injustice and corruption--don't hide it, expose it. There are white an black alike that will stand side by side with you to do this. You won't win them all but you will lose yourself if you give up.

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