Robin Chapple says Rio's scapegoating won't fix heritage issues

 

WA Greens MLC Robin Chapple says Rio’s scapegoating doesn’t address core issues of Heritage

 

WA Greens Member for the Mining and Pastoral Region Robin Chapple has voiced concerns that the removal of three Rio Tinto corporate heads does not address the core issues plaguing WA Aboriginal Heritage.

 

Mr Chapple stated that Rio’s actions were only made public because of Indigenous groups breaking the repressive gag orders of their claim wide participation agreement with the mining body.

 

“If it wasn’t for the PKKP letting the world know what Rio had done we never would have known and there are so many more of these gag agreements out there from far more companies than just Rio”

 

“If we want to fix what is broken with Heritage in WA we need more than to fire three people from one company because this is bigger than the single instance of Juukan Gorge”

 

“How many more similar acts of destruction are occurring across WA that we will never hear about because of the way these agreements are structured?”

 

Mr Chapple places the fault on the Aboriginal Affairs Minister being able to override the Aboriginal advisory body on heritage concerns using the Aboriginal Heritage Acts notorious Section 18’s.

 

He also criticized the unfair claim wide agreements which silence Indigenous people trying to speak out against destruction of Heritage.

 

“As long as these agreements exist we can never know the full extent of the damage being done within our state and we will never be able to properly address it”

 

“I’m aware that there is a new Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Bill being drafted but if it allows for these agreements to continue or for decisions on Heritage to still be the decision of the Minister and not Aboriginal people– then our First Nations People’s will never see justice”

 

Notwithstanding the Ministers concerns he has approved a number of contentious Section 18’s with various mining companies since the destruction of Juukan Gorge.

MEDIA CONTACT

Colin Ebsworth,

Communications Advisor - 0449 911 427

Colin.ebsworth@mp.wa.gov.au

 

 

Go to top