February 2019

YNSRA Community Information Sessions Notice

Posted: February 20th, 2019

Yamatji Nation Southern Regional Agreement Native Title Settlement Negotiations

Community information sessions will be held from Wednesday 6 March to Thursday 28 March, 2019 at 10 locations including Perth, Geraldton, Mullewa, Northampton, Carnarvon and Port Hedland. All members of Hutt River, Mullewa Wadjari, Southern Yamatji and Widi Mob claims or persons who are the descendants of the apical ancestors listed in the notice are invited to attend one or more meetings.

A key part of the YNSRA negotiations will be to consult with the broader Traditional Owner community. The sessions will provide an opportunity for you to receive more information, ask questions and provide feedback on what is being negotiated.

Your attendance and feedback is important – it will assist TONT members and your legal advisors to negotiate a better Agreement for your whole community.

For more information about the community sessions and to view the dates and locations for March please click here.

More support of the Uluru Statement from the Heart

Posted: February 5th, 2019

The Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) held a breakfast event in Perth on 31 January, “A New Path to Reconciliation’, featuring BHP CEO Andrew MacKenzie as keynote speaker.

What was significant about this event was Mr MacKenzie’s call for national action on the Uluru Statement from the Heart (the Statement). His speech was then followed by an inspirational response from Professor Megan Davis, Pro Vice Chancellor Indigenous, UNSW Sydney.

Earlier in January this year, YMAC facilitated a meeting in Port Hedland between Mr MacKenzie, Kariyarra Traditional Owners and representatives of Pilbara Aboriginal Voice (PAV).  Mr MacKenzie’s commitment to addressing issues raised at the historic Port Hedland meeting and, more broadly, to hear BHP’s unequivocal endorsement of the Statement and commitment to pursuing Constitutional Recognition is encouraging.

YMAC is hopeful that this public declaration of support by BHP will translate into tangible action and better outcomes for Aboriginal people.

Attending the event were YMAC Co-Chairs Mr Peter Windie (Yamatji) and Ms Natalie Parker (Pilbara); YMAC Deputy Co-Chair (Pilbara) and Pilbara Regional Committee Co-Chair, Mrs Doris Eaton; and, PAV Co-Chair, Ms Linda Dridi – all of whom are also signatories to the Statement.

To watch BHP CEO Andrew MacKenzie’s presentation click here.