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'It's just bulldozed through': Native title holders allege cultural sites destroyed by mining company

From ABC Australia · (3d ago) English Critical tone

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • A First Nations group alleges a mining company has destroyed cultural sites and begun development without a formal agreement.
  • The Narungga Nation Aboriginal Corporation is seeking urgent intervention from the federal government to halt operations.
  • The mining company states it has continuously engaged with the group and is negotiating a benefits package, despite native title being extinguished.

The Narungga people of South Australia's Yorke Peninsula are facing a devastating loss as Rex Minerals, a subsidiary of the Indonesian Salim Group, allegedly bulldozes through areas of immense cultural significance. This destruction is happening without a formal agreement or a cultural heritage plan in place, a grave concern for the Narungga Nation Aboriginal Corporation (NNAC).

We believe that their machinery is just destroying, daily, every minute of every day … our cultural heritage

— Garry GoldsmithNNAC's chief negotiator describing the alleged destruction of cultural sites by the mining company.

Garry Goldsmith, NNAC's chief negotiator, expressed the community's anguish, stating that machinery is destroying their heritage "daily, every minute of every day." The situation has escalated to the point where lawyers for NNAC have implored the federal government to intervene, seeking urgent stop-work orders under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act.

Ten years ago, the mine was a long way off, so the goodwill back then may not be as current today as it was then

— Garry GoldsmithNNAC's chief negotiator reflecting on the change in relationship with the mining company over time.

This is not the first time agreements have been discussed. A formal agreement for heritage management was in place during the exploration phase in 2011. However, Goldsmith notes that the goodwill from a decade ago may not extend to the current situation, especially as the company pushes forward without a new agreement. The contrast between past engagement and the current alleged disregard for cultural heritage is stark and deeply troubling for the Narungga people.

This package is being negotiated in good faith and provided voluntarily despite native title over the Hillside site being extinguished

— Jason SchellRex Minerals South Australia chief executive explaining the company's position on the benefits package.

Rex Minerals, through its South Australia chief executive Jason Schell, claims continuous engagement and good-faith negotiation of a benefits package. However, they acknowledge the 2011 agreement primarily covered exploration and that native title has since been extinguished. The company asserts that its proposed package will deliver significant long-term investments in education, training, and employment. Yet, for the Narungga people, the immediate concern is the ongoing destruction of irreplaceable cultural sites, a priority that seems to be overshadowed by the pursuit of copper and gold.

Rex Minerals has continuously engaged with the Narungga Nation Aboriginal Corporation

— Jason SchellRex Minerals South Australia chief executive asserting ongoing communication with the Indigenous group.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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