YMAC Members’ News

Yinhawangka People Sign Pilbara Native Title Agreement with Dragon Energy

Posted: May 10th, 2013

Filed under: Dragon Energy, Gang Xu, Hardey River., Pilbara, Pilbara Iron Project, Roma Butcher, Simon Hawkins, Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation, Yinhawangka

Click to Enlarge Yinhawangka Community Members with Representatives from Dragon Energy and YMAC

The Yinhawangka people recently announced a native title agreement with Dragon Energy, paving the way for its flagship Pilbara Iron Project.

Under the agreement, Yinhawangka consent to all activities associated with the development of an iron ore mine at Dragon’s Rocklea Central and North deposits. It also allows for further mining leases within the area.

The Agreement follows 12 months of constructive consultation and covers milestone and production payments, employment opportunities as well as cross-cultural exchanges and consultation on environmental matters.

Yinhawangka representative Roma Butcher said, “It was a pleasure doing business with Dragon Energy. Dragon’s General Manager Gang Xu was so easy to talk to and clearly has a huge respect for Yinhawangka People.

“I feel that Dragon worked with us respectfully and understood things we had to say about the Country, the flora and fauna, and how these things are important for us, our community and our health. Dragon Energy had empathy for what we are trying to achieve, and that meant that in return we also wanted to work with them. Maybe some of the Chinese cultural values that Gang Xu brought to our meetings were similar and led to understandings of our Aboriginal culture.

“Our flora and fauna are very important to us – as our Country is – and it’s good to know that Dragon Energy respects that, and respects our knowledge of the Country and the river system, and have agreed to include Yinhawangka People in ongoing environmental management.”

Dragon Energy’s Managing Director, Mr Gang Xu, commented that the parties had developed an excellent working relationship and looked forward to this continuing with the development of Pilbara Iron Project.

“Our negotiations with the Yinhawangka People have been based upon a strong mutual respect and have focussed on achieving outcomes that will benefit of both parties.

“We look forward to working with the group to develop our Pilbara Iron Project and at the same time provide opportunities to the Yinhawangka community and preserve their heritage and customs.”

Simon Hawkins, CEO, Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation said, “Dragon Energy listened to concerns the Yinhawangka People had regarding impact to the Hardey River and have put in place an ongoing program to incorporate traditional ecological knowledge. Both parties showed great flexibility which has led to a strong relationship.”

Yugunga-Nya People Sign Native Title Agreement with Ventnor Resources

Posted: April 30th, 2013

Filed under: Bruce Maluish, Doolgunna, Evelyn Gilla., Green Dragon Copper Project, Murchison., Simon Hawkins, Thaduna, Ventnor Resources, Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation, Yugunga-Nya

The Yugunga-Nya People, Traditional Owners of land within the Eastern Murchison region of Western Australia, have announced the signing of an agreement with Australian base metals company Ventnor Resources Limited (Ventnor) for the Thaduna/Green Dragon Copper Project over 640 hectares of their traditional country in Doolgunna Western Australia.

The agreement recognises the cultural and environmental significance of the area for Traditional Owners and aims to deliver significant financial and social outcomes to the Yugunga-Nya People through commercial and community development opportunities.

Yugunga-Nya Traditional Evelyn Gilla said, ‘I am happy that this agreement was signed. The
company was friendly, and it was a good agreement for Yugunga-Nya people’

Ventnor Managing Director Bruce Maluish responded, ‘we at Ventnor extend our appreciation
to the Yugunga-Nya People for the goodwill they have exhibited throughout our negotiations
that have culminated in this important agreement. Ventnor looks forward to working with the
group in the future’.

Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation (YMAC) CEO Simon Hawkins said, ‘This agreement
shows what can be achieved when companies are open from the outset. The mutual
cooperation throughout negotiations meant this agreement was finalised within a short
timeframe and both parties were happy with the result’.

Pilbara Indigenous Business Announces Mining Services Joint Venture

Posted: April 16th, 2013

Filed under: Fortescue Metals Group (FMG), Karlka Nyiyaparli Aboriginal Corporation, Nyiyaparli Engineering Mine and Maintenance Services, Western Plant Hire



Click to Enlarge L-R: Rear – Tom Edmonson, Luke Mateljan, Sue Bung, Francis Bung. Sitting – Ray Bushnell, Bruce Bung.

YMAC congratulates Nyiyaparli Engineering Mine & Maintenance Services Pty Ltd (NEMMS) and Western Plant Hire (WA) Pty Ltd (WPH) who have just announced an incorporated Joint Venture to conduct Plant Hire and Mining Services in the Pilbara.

NEMMS is an Aboriginal owned and run company, established in 2010 by members of the Bung family, who are Traditional Owners of Nyiyaparli country in the Pilbara.

WPH offers a complete plant hire service and Crushing Services with clients including Fortescue Metals Group (Fortescue) and Rio Tinto, among others. WPH have been working closely with NEMMS for the past 12 months at Fortescue Cloudbreak mine, providing several large items of mining equipment.

The joint venture agreement gives 50/50 ownership to each company and will be managed by a Board with equal representation.

Sue Bung, NEMMS Director, said the partnership was a way for her family to participate in the local economy and get back to her traditional country. “We started NEMMS because we wanted to get up and do something for ourselves. Western Plant Hire and Fortescue have really given us a start, and I’m thankful for this opportunity. It lets us get back onto Nyiyaparli country, to our songlines and sites, to keep our law and culture going. I look forward to getting our younger generation involved”.

Ray Bushnell, Chief Executive Officer, WPH said, “We have been working with NEMMs for over a year and got to know the Bung Family very well. We saw that we had similar values, that we could create a good partnership. It made sense to take things to the next level and set up a joint venture. Since day one, NEMM’s commitment to the process has never faltered. They have been so driven, keen to learn, do more and get involved in the business operations from a day-to-day perspective”.

Isak Buitendag, Fortescue Director External Affairs said that this agreement represents the culmination of 18 months of hard work and dedication by the Bung family, Western Plant Hire and Fortescue. “It is wonderful to see NEMMS reaping the benefits of their effort to secure this joint venture with Western Plant Hire to service the resources industry. We look forward to seeing this joint venture create employment opportunities and develop an economic base for the benefit of NEMMS and their community”.

Sue Bergersen, Business and Workforce Development Manager for Karlka Nyiyaparli Aboriginal Corporation, assisted NEMMS in the agreement negotiations. “This commercial arrangement is a very real and tangible example of the effort being undertaken by traditional owners in the Pilbara to change their futures. This partnership utilises current mining and market opportunities to build financial capacity, independence and employment pathways for family members”, she said. 

Badimia native title trial wraps up in Federal Court

Posted: April 5th, 2013

Filed under: Badimia, Federal Court, native title

This Wednesday 3 April was the last day of trial for the Badimia people’s native title case in the Federal Court.

It was the culmination of years of hard work and the end of a very long and difficult process for the Badimia people. YMAC would like to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of the Traditional Owners who contributed to and participated in this trial, which ranged over many months and several locations out on country and in Perth.

YMAC also acknowledges the elders who have passed away since the Badimia claim was lodged in 1998.

The Federal Court will now consider all of the evidence and submissions before making a decision on the Badimia people’s native title claim. A judgement is not expected before late 2013 or 2014.

Yamatji Special Regional Meeting

Posted: March 27th, 2013

Filed under: Geraldton, Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation, Yamatji Special Regional Meeting, YMAC

YMAC’s Community Liaison Officers in this month’s edition of Mulga Mail

Posted: March 19th, 2013

Filed under: Carrum Mourambine, Community Liaison Officer, Coralie Cooke, Daniel Shiosaki, Jerry Maher, Les Hill, Michael Gosper, Mulga Mail, Nyaparu Rose, Victor Woodley, Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation, YMAC

Mulga Mail recently ran a short piece outlining the role and responsibilities of YMAC’s Community Liaison Officers (CLOs).

YMAC’s CLOs are:
Geraldton: Daniel Shiosaki, Carrum Mourambine and Les Hill
Karratha: Michael Gosper
South Hedland: Nyaparu Rose and Jerry Maher
South Hedland/Tom Price: Coralie Cooke and Victor Woodley

Click to Enlarge

For more information about YMAC’s work structure, please visit www.ymac.org.au

Indigenous Community Stories: Charmaine Green

Posted: March 1st, 2013

Filed under: Charmaine Green, Film and Television Institute (FTI), Indigenous Community Stories, Indigenous Film, Yamaji Art, YMAC

YMAC recently spent a few days on country with Yamatji artist, Charmaine Green, recording her stories and cultural experiences for the Indigenous Community Story initiative run by WA’s Film & Telelvision Instititute.

YMAC would like to thank all who were involved for making it a great project to work on.


Click to Enlarge: Charmaine Green on country in Mullewa with FTI film crew



Click here for more information on the Indigenous Community Stories project.

Indigenous Community Stories: Charmaine Green

Posted: March 1st, 2013

Filed under: Charmaine Green, Film and Television Institute (FTI), Indigenous Community Stories, Indigenous Film, Yamaji Art, YMAC

YMAC recently spent a few days on country with Yamatji artist, Charmaine Green, recording her stories and cultural experiences for the Indigenous Community Story initiative run by WA’s Film & Telelvision Instititute.

YMAC would like to thank all who were involved for making it a great project to work on.


Click to Enlarge: Charmaine Green on country in Mullewa with FTI film crew

Click here for more information on the Indigenous Community Stories project.

Download YMAC News issue 20

Posted: February 20th, 2013

Filed under: Alternative Settlement, AusAID, Australia-Africa Partnerships Facility, Badimia, Beverley Ladyman, Iron Ore Holdings, Kuruma Marthudunera, Lake Moore, Montezuma, Ngarlawangga, NNTT, Nyiyaparli, YMAC News

The latest issue of YMAC News is now available for download.

It is full of stories about some of the accomplishments in our regions over the last few months. Agreements have been made between the Ngarlawangga people and Montezuma Mining Company Ltd, and the Kurama and Marthudunera people and Iron Ore Holdings Ltd, that are both notable for different reasons.

You can read about the Geraldton native title groups coming together to work towards an Alternative Settlement, and a meeting between Pilbara indigenous women and African women in mining.

We have several new members of our Yamatji Regional Committee and the Board of Directors, and we profile one of them, Beverley Ladyman.

The Badimia people won a battle in the National Native Title Tribunal to help protect one of their most sacred sites, and the Nyiyaparli people have discovered a site that was occupied 41,000 year ago while out on a heritage survey for a mining company.

We also answer one of our most frequently asked question, ‘Why does native title take so long?’

Click here to dowload YMAC News issue 20.

If you have any stories or photos you’d like to share with us, elders who you think we should profile, questions about native title, or any other letters to the editor, send them to editor@ymac.org.au.

We hope you enjoy this issue of YMAC News.