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☆ Aboriginal Group to Inspect Rock Shelters for Potential Rio Tinto Damage
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - An Aboriginal group from Western Australia's iron ore producing region will inspect an important cultural site in the coming days after it received a notice from Rio Tinto of possible damage, the group's chief executive said. "The Robe River Kuruma Aboriginal Corporation was advised by Rio Tinto in late December of the potential impact on a rock shelter at the Mesa C Robe Valley operations," Anthony Galante, Chief Executive Officer of Robe River Kuruma Aboriginal Corporation (RRKAC) told Reuters. Rio Tinto has advised the group that a preliminary investigation found no damage to the shelter but it has not performed an on-ground inspection due to cultural restrictions, RRKAC said. Rio Tinto did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Given that history, the RRKAC has "grave concerns" about Rio Tinto's ability to protect Aboriginal cultural heritage, Galante said.

Persons: Anthony Galante, RRKAC, Rio, Rio Tinto, Muntulgura, Galante, Melanie Burton, Lincoln Organizations: MELBOURNE, Aboriginal Corporation, Rio Tinto, Reuters Locations: Rio Tinto, Rio

☆ Aboriginal elders suspend Rio Tinto site survey over heritage concerns
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( Melanie Burton | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A combination image shows the Nammuldi rock shelter before (L) and after a mine blast by Rio Tinto in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, August 6, 2023. "Assessments found no structural damage to the rock shelter itself, and no damage to cultural materials," Cecile Thaxter, a Rio Tinto vice president, said in a webcast on Monday. A Rio Tinto spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The dispute comes as investors and automakers are increasingly scrutinising human rights and heritage protection in their assessments of Australian mines. However, Western Australia is set to overturn its 2021 Aboriginal cultural heritage protection laws, introduced on July 1, due to opposition from landowners.

Persons: Cecile Thaxter, Muntulgura, Dawn Hughes, Rio, Hughes, Melanie Burton, Sonali Paul Organizations: Rio Tinto, REUTERS, Rights, Aboriginal Corporation, Reuters, Tinto, Thomson Locations: Rio, Pilbara, Western Australia, Rio Tinto

☆ Rio Tinto Says No Damage to Aboriginal Rock Shelter Structure From Aug. 6 Blast
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Global miner Rio Tinto has found no damage to the structure of a rock shelter at an Aboriginal heritage site in Western Australia that was impacted by blasting at its Nammuldi iron ore operations, it said after a visit over the weekend. Rio Tinto employees and representatives from the Muntulgura Guruma people visited the site last weekend, where a blast on Aug. 6 led to the fall of a Pilbara scrub tree and one square metre of rock from the overhang of a rock shelter estimated to have been inhabited over 40,000-50,000 years. "Assessments found no structural damage to the rock shelter itself, and no damage to cultural materials," Cecile Thaxter, Rio Tinto Iron Ore Vice President said in a webcast on Monday. Rio's destruction of rock shelters at Juukan Gorge in 2020 prompted a global outcry, the departure of top executives and a parliamentary enquiry that recommended an overhaul of Australia's Aboriginal heritage protection laws. Nevertheless, Western Australia is set to overturn its 2021 Aboriginal cultural heritage protection laws, introduced on July 1 after the destruction of the Juukan Gorge shelters.

Persons: Cecile Thaxter, Wintawari, Rio, Melanie Burton, Sonali Paul Organizations: MELBOURNE, Rio Tinto, Tinto, Rio Tinto Iron Ore, Aboriginal Corporation Locations: Western Australia, Rio

☆ Australia Voice referendum: Far from uniting the nation, the vote has revealed its priorities and prejudices
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-07 | by ( Hilary Whiteman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

There would be a referendum within his first term to recognize Indigenous Australians in the constitution and create a permanent body – a Voice to Parliament – to allow them to speak directly to government. Yes voters are much younger, live in the inner-city and voted for the Labor Party or Greens. Paul Smith, Director Government and Social Australia, at YouGov says the young-old divide in this referendum indicates a generational difference in world view. Daniel Morrison-Bird has been door-knocking for months in Perth, Western Australia to convince people to vote Yes. Gerber said far from dividing the country, the Voice is an invitation from Indigenous Australians to form a closer relationship.

Persons: Anthony Albanese, –, ” Albanese, “, ”, Paul Strangio, Bianca De Marchi, Strangio, they’re pigeonholed, ’ ”, Paul Smith, Smith, Axel Bruns, Bruns, Asanka Ratnayake, D’sa, D’Sa, Daniel Morrison, Bird, they’ve, Morrison, “ You’ll, I’ve, He’s, “ I’ve, it’s, Paula Gerber, ” “, Gerber, “ We’ve Organizations: Australia CNN —, Australian, Monash University, Qantas, Liberal, National Party coalition, Labor Party, Greens, Government, Social Australia, Torres Strait Islanders, Digital Media Research, Queensland University of Technology, Sky News, Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation, Voice Advisory Group, Corporation, Wungening Aboriginal Corporation, Indigenous Locations: Brisbane, Australia, United States, Britain, Sydney, Corporates, YouGov, Melbourne, United Kingdom, Portuguese, Australian, Perth, Western Australia

☆ Rio’s latest rock shelter damage highlights need for Aboriginal Voice, advocates say
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-03 | by ( Melanie Burton | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Rio's destruction of rock shelters at Juukan Gorge in 2020 prompted a global outcry, the departure of top executives and a parliamentary enquiry that recommended an overhaul of Australia's Aboriginal heritage protection laws. Reaction to the incident has been more muted compared to the outrage over the Juukan Gorge rock shelters so far. VOICE FOR HERITAGELooming over the incident is Australia’s upcoming Indigenous Voice referendum set for Oct. 14 that would create a panel to advise parliament on issues affecting the Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islands communities. "It's hard to think of a more compelling practical example of the need for an Indigenous Voice in the mining policy debate," he said. A spokesperson for the state department regulating Aboriginal heritage protection said it was in contact with Rio Tinto but it was not investigating the latest incident.

Persons: Rio, Simon Trott, Warren Entsch, Rio shouldn't, Morgan Stanley, James Fitzgerald, Jamie Lowe, WGAC, Melanie Burton, Lincoln Organizations: Rio Tinto, REUTERS Acquire, Aboriginal Corporation, ABC, Reuters, Aboriginal, Torres Straits, Australasian Centre, Corporate, Indigenous, Title, Guruma Aboriginal Corporation, Thomson Locations: Rio, Pilbara, Western Australia, MELBOURNE, Western Australia’s, Juukan

☆ Rio’s Latest Rock Shelter Damage Highlights Need for Aboriginal Voice, Advocates Say
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-02 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +5 min

By Melanie BurtonMELBOURNE (Reuters) - Damage caused to an Aboriginal rock shelter by mining giant Rio Tinto in August underscores the need for better heritage protection laws and a greater say for Indigenous groups promised in this month's Voice referendum, advocates say. Rio's destruction of rock shelters at Juukan Gorge in 2020 prompted a global outcry, the departure of top executives and a parliamentary enquiry that recommended an overhaul of Australia's Aboriginal heritage protection laws. "Regrettably, it seems as though Rio's blast management plan has failed on this occasion leaving the Muntulgura Guruma People to pick up the pieces," said Wintawari Guruma Aboriginal Corporation (WGAC), which represents the Muntulgura, in a statement. A spokesperson for the state department regulating Aboriginal heritage protection said it was in contact with Rio Tinto but it was not investigating the latest incident. Should the Department receive a complaint from Wintawari Guruma Aboriginal Corporation, it will act immediately to investigate."

Persons: Melanie Burton MELBOURNE, Rio, Simon Trott, Warren Entsch, Rio shouldn't, Morgan Stanley, James Fitzgerald, Jamie Lowe, WGAC, Melanie Burton, Lincoln Organizations: Rio Tinto, Aboriginal Corporation, ABC, Reuters, Aboriginal, Torres Straits, Australasian Centre, Corporate, Indigenous, Title, Guruma Aboriginal Corporation Locations: Rio, Western Australia’s, Juukan, Western Australia

☆ Australia’s popular Fraser Island has reverted to its traditional name of K’gari
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Amarachi Orie | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

The world’s largest sand island is now officially known by its traditional name, K’gari, the government of the Australian state of Queensland announced Wednesday. The name change formally recognizes the connection of the indigenous Butchulla people to the UNESCO World Heritage site on Australia’s east coast. “In our creation stories, our stories handed down by generations, it has always been K’gari and always will be,” Gayle Minniecon, chairperson of Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation, said in a press release. It’s what we call home,” Joyce Bonner, Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation Language and Cultural coordinator, said in a statement ahead of the reinstatement. K’gari means “paradise” in the Butchulla language and is pronounced “GUR-rie” or “Gurri,” according to the Queensland government.

Persons: CNN —, ” Gayle Minniecon, “, ” Joyce Bonner, GUR, rie ”, Reuben Nutt, K’gari, ”, Patricia O’Callaghan Organizations: CNN, Queensland, UNESCO, Aboriginal Australians, Aboriginal Corporation, Butchulla, Tourism, “ Locations: “, Queensland, Fraser

☆ Australian Indigenous group steps up campaign to protect sacred rock art
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Praveen Menon | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/4] Murujuga indigenous custodians campaign to protect sacred rock art in The Burrup Peninsula, Sydney, Australia July 11, 2022. Save our Songlines/Handout via REUTERSSYDNEY, March 2 (Reuters) - An Australian Indigenous group on Thursday stepped up its campaign against industrial development in Western Australia's Burrup Peninsula, a key gas export hub, saying in a protest in Sydney that planned projects would damage ancient rock art. Australia last month formally nominated the Murujuga Indigenous cultural landscape for a UNESCO World Heritage listing. The Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation, the traditional owners' representative, led the preparation of the World Heritage nomination. Save our Songlines has disagreed with the group over the industrial development and has raised doubts that a World Heritage listing would protect the ancient landscape from industrial damage.

☆ Australia approves national plan to safeguard Aboriginal heritage
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The government had accepted all but one recommendation out of the eight from last year's parliamentary inquiry into the destruction of the historically and culturally significant site at Juukan Gorge in Western Australia, Plibersek told parliament. The recommendation of whether the final responsibility for heritage protection should sit with the Indigenous affairs minister or the environment minister is still being assessed, Plibersek said. What's clear from this report is that our system is not working," Plibersek said, adding the destruction of the sacred sites were legal under current laws. The traditional owners said they were angry and disappointed that they had not been consulted about the government's response. "We have tasted the devastation and we know what needs to be done," it said, without elaborating.

☆ Australia's Scarborough project: Race and power collide in a fight over sacred rock art in remote Australia
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( Hannah Ritchie | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +21 min

More than a million drawings are etched onto rocks on Murujuga peninsula on the Western Australia coast. Resources extracted from the region have powered Australia’s economy and helped create some of the world’s largest mining and energy multinationals. Today, the fight for Murujuga’s rock art reflects long-standing and unresolved issues of race and power. Woodside Petroleum's Pluto development on Murujuga, Western Australia, June 2008. Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation chief executive Peter Jeffries.

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