Country, Culture, People, Future

agreement

Kariyarra People celebrate landmark agreement

Posted: October 2nd, 2017

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Kariyarra ILUA

Kariyarra People celebrate the signing of the Indigenous Landuse Agreement with the State of Western Australia

YMAC congratulates the Kariyarra People and the State of Western Australia on the signing of the Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA), which occurred this morning in Port Hedland. This is a landmark occasion deserving of celebration.

Since 2011, the Kariyarra Working Group members (on behalf of the Kariyarra People) were represented by YMAC, and have been working with expert consultants and government staff across many departments to achieve this landmark ILUA. The agreement offers a benefits package worth $38 million to empower Kariyarra People to end intergenerational poverty and help their families get ahead. The State of Western Australia approved the Kariyarra-State ILUA in Cabinet on 31 July 2017.

Diana Robinson, Kariyarra Elder states, “The ILUA negotiation has been a long, challenging journey that has changed the way we see ourselves and empowered us to create a better future for our people.”

YMAC CEO Simon Hawkins states, “YMAC’s goal is to empower Aboriginal people take a leadership role in their communities to achieve the outcomes they want for themselves. We support our stakeholders to live and work towards a dignified, self-reliant life. On behalf of the staff and Directors of YMAC, I congratulate the Kariyarra and the State of Western Australia, and celebrate with them on this historic occasion.”

YMAC media release: Kariyarra celebrate ILUA

Hon. Rita Saffioti (Minister for Transport, Planning, Lands) and Hon. Ben Wyatt (Treasurer, Minister for Finance, Aboriginal Affairs) statement: Ministers’ Statement

2015 Amnesty International Media Awards now open

Posted: July 24th, 2015

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Launch of Amnesty's Indigenous Youth Incarceration campaign.  Photo: (c)AIA/ IngetjeTadros

Amnesty’s Indigenous Youth Incarceration Campaign
Photo: (c)AIA/ IngetjeTadros

These awards include the Indigenous Reporting category, recognising excellence in media coverage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander human rights issues.

This year’s Amnesty International Australia Media Awards are now open and journalists are encouraged to enter their human rights stories of the last year.

To enter these awards visit here before the closing date of Friday 14 August 2015.

Native title agreement for the Kurama and Marthudunera (K&M) people over iron ore project

Posted: April 16th, 2014

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The Kurama and Marthudunera (K&M) people of the Pilbara region of Western Australia are pleased to announce an agreement with Iron Ore miners Red Hill Iron Ltd (RHI). The agreement covers RHI’s Pannawonica project, about 120 km south of Cape Preston.

Negotiations were completed in approximately six months, with the resulting agreement giving RHI native title approvals for its project. The K&M people will receive financial benefits and compensation from the company, which reflects the importance to the K&M people of minimising the impact of mining projects on their traditional country.

Download the full media release here.

Badimia strike agreement with Minjar Gold

Posted: November 1st, 2013

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The Badimia People, Traditional Owners in the Mid-West of WA have signed a native title  agreement with Minjar Gold for its proposed mining operations and future expansions, approximately 400kms north-north east of Perth.

“The Badimia people are looking forward to a beneficial relationship with Minjar Gold,”  said Reg Yates, Chairperson of the Badimia Working Group. “It is important that this  agreement gives preferential contracts to Badimia businesses. That is very valuable,  because it allows us to be partners in the process, and gives Badimia people a sense of  pride.”

Click here to read the full media release, or

check out the story on ABC here.

Native title agreement recognises the importance of water

Posted: November 20th, 2012

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Kurama and Marthudunera Traditional Owners Bernadette Evans, Roy Evans, Joan Evans and Cyril Lockyer with YMAC staff and IOH representatives

The Kurama and Marthudunera (K&M) native title group today announced the signing of an agreement with Iron Ore Holdings Ltd (IOH) over their Buckland Project in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

It is the Pilbara’s first native title agreement to provide payments in respect of the use of water and clearance of native vegetation, giving an incentive for IOH to minimise their impact on the environment. IOH also showed flexibility in planning their mine footprint in order to avoid any impact on culturally sensitive sites near the area.

In addition to strong cultural and environmental protection, the agreement provides milestone and production payments, which are now standard features of native title land access agreements.

Kurama and Marthudunera Traditional Owner, Cyril Lockyer said, “The important thing now is to continue our good working relationship. This area is of great significance to the families involved and we want to work closely with Iron Ore Holdings to see these sensitive places protected.”

“This unique agreement is due to the genuine good-will and flexibility shown by both parties, and recognises the cultural and environmental significance of the area for the Traditional Owners. It goes well beyond the requirements of the WA Aboriginal Heritage Act by recognising that water and habitat are inextricably linked to cultural values,” said Simon Hawkins, CEO of Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation.

Nyiyaparli people sign major iron ore mining agreement

Posted: August 20th, 2012

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The Nyiyaparli people of the Pilbara region of WA have announced that they have entered into a major mining agreement with BHP Billiton Iron Ore (BHPBIO). The agreement covers all of BHPBIO’s iron ore operations within the Nyiyaparli people’s native title claim and offers substantial heritage protection, financial benefits, and non-financial benefits to the Nyiyaparli people.

Click here to download the full media release from our website.

YMAC congratulates the Nyiyaparli people on the successful negotiations.

Agreement focuses on sustainability

Posted: April 24th, 2012

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Ngarlawangga community members, YMAC staff and Rico Resources representatives at the agreement signing



The Ngarlawangga people have announced an agreement with Rico Resources over their Wonmunna project within the Ngarlawangga native title claim.

The agreement focuses on building a relationship between the parties to develop sustainable, long-term business and employment opportunities for the Ngarlawangga community. It is based on shared objectives of employment and contracts for Ngarlawangga people on Rico Resources projects.  

To this end, a skills audit of the Ngarlawangga community is being undertaken to help community members identify and access opportunities for training, employment, and business ventures.

The agreement includes financial compensation to the Ngarlawangga people, and recognises the importance of Aboriginal culture and the Ngarlawangga people’s responsibility to care for their heritage sites. It also provides Rico Resources with all of the native title approvals needed for their Wonmunna Project.

“Rico resources have listened to us and we have listened to them. We have a good relationship with RICO even though we are a small group and they are a small company,” said Ngarlawangga elder Maisey Hyland.

Ngarlawangga elder Dianne Limerick said, “In the short while we have been negotiating with Rico Resources we made a lot of progress and we are happy and pleased that we have signed an agreement together”

Simon Hawkins, Chief Executive Officer of Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation (YMAC), said, “Rico Resources has adopted a relationship-based approach to these negotiations, and this agreement is designed to help the Ngarlawangga people meet their aspirations as a community. The company has shown their commitment to these goals by implementing the skills audit before the agreement was even signed. This mining agreement is about both parties supporting each other for years to come.”

Pilbara groups reach agreement with Rio Tinto

Posted: June 2nd, 2011

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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 CEO in Saturday’s West Australian

Posted: April 18th, 2011

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Last weekend’s West Australian newspaper featured a letter to the editor from YMAC’s CEO Simon Hawkins. The letter was in response to recent media attention on native title agreements, and points out that there are many positive outcomes when resource companies genuinely engage with native title groups.
Click here to read the full letter, titled “Benefits to native title groups”.

Country is our mother, the provider and keeper of cultural belongings. Country and Culture go together. You can’t have one without the other.

Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation respectfully acknowledges the Traditional Owners and custodians throughout Western Australia, and on whose Country we work. We acknowledge and respect their deep connection to their lands and waterways.

We honour and pay respect to Elders, and to their ancestors who survived and cared for Country.

Our offices are located on Whadjuk Country, Southern Yamatji Country, Yinggarda Country, Kariyarra Country, and Yawuru Country. We recognise the continuing culture, traditions, stories and living cultures on these lands and commit to building a brighter future together.

Disclaimer: Caution: Please be advised that this website may contain images, voices and names of deceased people.

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