South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council Yued Whadjuk Ballardong Gnaala Karla Booja South West August 2013 Boojarah Wagyl Kaip Readers are cautioned that this publication may contain images of deceased people. Noongar Elders Endorse Recognition Statement (left to right) Shirley Thorne, Geri Hayden, Lizzie Hayden, Jim Hayden and Janet Hayden at the Elders’ Forum. Elders from all six of the main native title claim group areas participated in the Forum. the Noongar people are the Traditional connection to the land. It is one of the Alfred Cove, May 29, 2013 Owners of the south west of Australia. elements that will form the basis for a The Recognition Statement for the native title settlement package that will On 29 May Noongar Elders Noongar Recognition Bill is one of the ultimately be presented to the Noongar reached a broad consensus endorsing most important items that have been people for their consideration. the wording of the draft Noongar the subject of the ongoing negotiations The Bill is historic because it is Recognition Statement, which is now with the WA Government aimed at the first piece of WA parliamentary expected to be adopted in the Noongar resolving the Noongar native title legislation that will give recognition in Recognition Bill, which is the Act of claims. The Bill is designed to recognise law to an Aboriginal group, that will WA State Parliament that will finally Noongar Traditional Ownership, give formal recognition of the fact that ongoing culture and ongoing continued on p2 1490 Albany Highway Cannington, WA Ph: (08) 9358 7400 See back page for Fax: (08) 9358 7499 Negotiation Email: [email protected] the latest Community Web: www.noongar.org.au Update page 3 Information Meeting dates. Postal Address: PO Box 585 Cannington, WA 6987 2 SWALSC News continued from p1 use Aboriginal language, and will give We belong to one of the oldest formal recognition to Noongars as the surviving living cultures on this INDEX Traditional Owners of Noongar country. earth. As a people we have a The forum was well attended with common ancestral language, and Negotiations News p3-4 Elders from all six of the main native a similar history and spirituality. SWALSC News p6-11 title claim group areas providing We know that our traditional Community News p5 & 12-18 guidance and counsel on the specific country is beyond south-east of Meeting dates p20 wording for the recognition statement a line from Leeman in the north- to ensure the statement accurately west to beyond Cape Arid in the reflects Noongar values and culture. south-east, and that the spirit of The discussion of the draft recognition this place can never be conquered. statement was wide ranging with many Noongar culture, spirit and of the elders participating by sharing economy have always depended their views, knowledge and experience. on the resources of Noongar By the end of the forum a broad boodjar. Families still return to the consensus was reached. biddi (paths) of our ancestors. Our The title of the Bill is expected to be people continue to refer to natural the: landmarks, especially hills and Noongar Koorah, Nitja, waterways, when describing which Boordahwan (Past, Present, families belong to different areas Future) Recognition Bill 2013. of Noongar boodjar. Although An Act for the recognition of the barriers may exist it’s still in our Noongar people as the Traditional hearts, in our blood, it’s still our Owners of the south west of the country. State. Our living culture which is long The Elders endorsed the following and continuing in this part of the statement of recognition: world begins with Noongar people. This is our country, we have always This is the opportunity for all been here. We have survived. We Western Australians to experience will continue to be here. Nothing the ancient tradition of respect, can take away from who we are. relationships and reciprocity with It’s still in our hearts, in our blood – Noongar people. We have survived. this is our country. We, the Noongar people, are the Traditional Owners of South West Western Australia, and have been since before time immemorial. As the First People of South West Western Australia, we continue to practise the laws and customs of our culture. Through this culture, we continue to hold rights, responsibilities and obligations to our people, traditional lands and waters. We, the Noongar people, are the largest single Aboriginal cultural bloc on the Australian continent. Negotiation News 3 Partnership Statements Negotiation Update for five Yued Shires Overview A central Noongar Boodja Trust will The Negotiation process is getting be established to hold land titles close to the point where a revised offer and monies to be used by Noongar will be put to Noongar people for their corporations. A Perpetual Fund will consideration. Round 7 of Negotiations be established to ensure Noongar was held on 24 April, 2013. SWALSC, corporations are self-sustaining On 10 July the Noongar community the Noongar Negotiation Team and beyond the period of state financial in Moora presented a Statement the State Government agreed that contributions. The state has also of Partnership to the Moora Shire should Noongar people accept the provided funding to buy or refurbish as a proactive step towards greater state’s offer, the aim is to begin buildings for the corporations. community harmony. Some of the implementation of the Agreement on wording for the Partnership Statement 1 July 2014. Authorisation meetings, Land Base was drawn from the Noongar where the Noongar community will A Noongar land base of up to Recognition Statement, which was vote on the government’s offer, are 320,000 hectares will be established. endorsed by Noongar Elders attending likely to be held in the first few months This is made up of up to 300,000 the Elder’s Forum on 29 May (see page of 2014. What follows is a brief update hectares of reserve land, and up to 1). This is the statement that has been on what has been achieved on each 20,000 hectares freehold. Title to put forward by the Noongar community negotiation matter. this land will be held in the Noongar for inclusion in the draft Noongar Boodja Trust to ensure land remains Recognition Bill, which is one of the Traditional Owner Recognition in the Noongar Estate, but decisions most important parts of the negotiations The state has agreed to pass an Act about land will be made by regional with the State aimed at resolving the of the WA Parliament recognising corporations in consultation with the Noongar native title claims. Deloris Jetta Noongar people as the Traditional local Noongar community. presented the Partnership Statement to Owners of the south west of WA. A the Shire of Moora, which is the first of draft of this historic Bill has been Land Access five such statements to be presented to endorsed by a group of Noongar Elders While this aspect of negotiations shires in the Yued region. from all six of the main native title is still to be completed, the state has Elder, Charlie Shaw, presented the claim group areas. committed to provide Noongar people second Partnership Statement to the with access to state held lands for Shire of Dandaragan on 11 July, Colin Economic Base customary purposes (hunting, fishing, Headland and Charlie Shaw will present The Government and the Noongar culture etc.). This access regime is the third Partnership Statement to negotiation team are nearing agreement likely to be managed by Noongar the Shire of Gingin in the near future. on establishment of a capital base that people in the regional Noongar The two other shires earmarked for will be capable of providing sustainable corporations. presentation of Partnership Statements funding for the operations of the are Victoria Plains and Coorow. new Noongar corporations, as well as Heritage establishment of a perpetual fund for Important cultural places will future generations of Noongars. be managed through the Noongar corporations according to Noongar Governance and Service Provision specific documents negotiated as A Noongar Regional Corporation part of the settlement process. The is to be set up in each of the 6 claim Noongar Heritage Charter sets out group areas, supported by a central service corporation located in Perth. continued on p4 4 Negotiation News continued from p3 broad principles by which Noongar Community Development cultural heritage is to be protected While not taking over government and managed. The Noongar Standard responsibilities, regional Noongar It’s An Election Year Heritage Agreement sets out in detail corporations will have resources to Information available to the AEC the way heritage surveys are to be undertake community development indicates that Indigenous Australians carried out according to advice given by initiatives according to local Noongar have a low level of electoral appropriate Traditional Owners. priorities, under the agreed ‘Community participation. They are up to 50 per Development Framework’. The state cent less likely to enrol to vote, 50 per Joint Management has acknowledged the existence of cent less likely to vote, and three times Joint Management committees will a ‘Noongar Domain’, where programs more likely to vote informally. be established between the state will be designed and delivered by The AEC is committed to improving government and Noongar corporations Noongar people, for Noongar people. participation in the electoral and where Noongar Traditional Owners As well, there will be a ‘Partnership democratic processes, as an important will have equal participation in Domain’ where programs will be step in Indigenous Australians taking decision making about National Parks, delivered jointly by Noongar people responsibility for their futures and State Forests and other parts of the and mainstream service providers, and holding all levels of government to conservation estate.