Thursday June 30, 2011
Goolarabooloo Jabirr Jabirr Traditional Owners today signed a Native Title Agreement with Woodside and the State of Western Australia for the site of a proposed gas hub at James Price Point.
The Agreement, endorsed by the Goolarabooloo Jabirr Jabirr claim group at a week-long claim group meeting in May, will enable high level Traditional Owner cultural and economic engagement in the proposed Browse Basin LNG project.
Through the Agreement, Traditional Owners have prevented further LNG development on the Kimberley coastline and have reserved all rights to oppose the development on environmental grounds.
Kimberley Land Council Director Wayne Bergmann said the Agreement represented a rare opportunity for positive social change for Kimberley Indigenous people.
“For Kimberley Aboriginal people today’s announcement is a landmark exercise in democratic decision making,” Mr Bergmann said.
“Traditional Owners have struck a balance between protecting our environmental and cultural values and harnessing an opportunity for genuine participation in the modern economy.”
Jabirr Jabirr Traditional Owner Anthony Watson said today’s announcement is testament to the determination of the Goolarabooloo Jabirr Jabirr claim group who’ve delivered an agreement that exceeds the legal standard.
“We’ve negotiated not only for hundreds of ongoing jobs but for direct and meaningful engagement in precinct management,” he said.
“Traditional Owners will also be part of ongoing environmental and cultural monitoring of site activities amongst the broader compensation package.
“It’s been a long hard fight to get to this point today, and we still have lots of work to do in the coming months to ensure our environmental and social concerns are adequately addressed.
“We believe the deal we signed today will help our mob have a better chance to be standing on our own feet and not relying on government in the future.”
Jabirr Jabirr Traditional Owner Mary Tarran said the Federal Government still had a critical role to play in ensuring the proposed development moved forward responsibly.
“We’ve got to have all levels of government walk with us in this development, and the Commonwealth still has a ways to go before we’re confident they’re at the table.”
