Edition 34: January - March 2020 Contents CEO’s Update ............................................... ......................... 2 Covid-19 Response ............................................................... 3 Land and Environment Meeting ........................................... 4 CLCAC is a not for profit Aboriginal Corporation incorporated under the CATSI Act 2006 (Cth) and primarily Native Title & PBC Update ................................................... 5 funded by State and Commonwealth departments and agencies. We wish to acknowledge and thank the Native Title Compensation ................................................... 6-7 following department/agencies for their continued support: WILSSED Rangers Update .................................................... 8-9 Gangalidda & Garawa Rangers Update ...............................10-11 Normanton Rangers Update .................................................12-13 Staff Update ...........................................................................14 Covid-19 Information ............................................................15-19 Directory Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Rachel Amini-Yanner Deputy CEO/Corporate Services Manager – Trish Steineck Principal Legal Officer (PLO) – Kevin Murphy Chairperson – Thomas Wilson (Lardil) Director – Marlene Logan (Gkuthaarn) Director – Gerald Loogatha (Kaiadilt) Director – Donald Bob (Garawa) Director – Joseph Rainbow (Kurtijar) Director – Phillip George (Kukatj) Director – Murrandoo Yanner (Gangalidda) Director – Henry Aplin (Waanyi) Director – Lawrence Burke (Yangkaal) Contact Person – Simone Arnol Top front image: CLCAC Rangers conducting early back burning. CLCAC | NEWSLETTER | EDITION 33 01 COVID-19 (Coronavirus) CLCAC is closely following the increasing restrictions imposed • Postponed all meetings and travel to and within the by Federal, State and Local governments in response to the region and implemented new ways of doing business pandemic caused by COVID-19 (Coronavirus) with the purpose through the use of technology where possible. of implementing the best response in order to protect the good health of its clients, staff and stakeholders. If a full lockdown is required, and CLCAC has no choice but to close one or all of our offices, most of our staff will be The Queensland and Federal governments, through the working from home. Whilst some on-ground services would be National Cabinet, have put in place the following directives to impacted, CLCAC is confident that we will be able to maintain all Queenslanders: contact with our clients and key stakeholders and ensure continuity of services. • Non-essential business, activity and undertaking Closure Direction (No.4); CLCAC will continue to monitor Governments’ announcements and advice concerning COVID-19 and its management, to • Home Confinement Direction; ensure that arrangements are in place to minimise any adverse impacts on our clients, staff, stakeholders and operations. • School and Early Childhood Service Exclusion; If anyone has any questions or would require further • Self-quarantine for persons arriving in Queensland information, please don’t hesitate to contact our Cairns office from overseas Direction; on 07 4041 3833. • Mass gatherings Direction; • Hospital Visitors Direction; Stay Home and Stay Safe Everyone. • Self-isolation for Diagnosed Cases of COVID-19 Gunnamulla sunset. Direction; and • Restrictions in Private Residences Direction. Details of all these directives can be found on the Queensland CEO’s Update Health Department website at www.qld.gov.au/health/ conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19 Welcome to Edition 34 of our Newsletter for 2020. In addition, the local governments at Doomadgee, Mornington Island, Burketown and Normanton have been declared The recent fire season in the south and east of the country has safe and follow the directives and guidelines handed down Pandemic Restricted Areas where non-essential travellers been devastating for many communities. With recent media by the State Government and the Chief Health Officer. The require Council permits to enter the local government areas – attention on the importance of cultural burning practices, pandemic has taught us to re-evaluate how we normally do refer to local government websites and social media pages. Jigija Indigenous Fire Training Program has seen a significant things and be more innovative and inventive thus we had to increase in demand for Indigenous fire training. Gangalidda revise and reschedule our activities/training including how best As a result of the above, CLCAC has: & Garawa had scheduled another series of training sessions to use technology effectively to communicate. I also want to for the pilot program to be delivered with the assistance of acknowledge all our Staff based in Cairns, Normanton and • Developed a CLCAC Pandemic Emergency our region’s Rangers who have recently achieved their own Burketown and the Wellesley Island Rangers whom are working Management Plan 2020; individual fire management qualifications. Again, unfortunately tirelessly whether it’s from home or from their respective office the current restrictions on travel in the region have postponed base to ensure we are still achieving outcomes. • Is still operating but with reduced staff numbers this round of training. However, Jigija will continue to work attending our Cairns office whilst some staff members closely with Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) On a positive note, 23 March sees the 16th anniversary of continue to work from home – at this stage this has to work towards the delivery of accredited training units to fire the Wellesley Islands Sea Claim Determination. The Claim had little impact on the work of CLCAC; fighters and mitigation teams from around Australia. was lodged on behalf of the Lardil, Yangkaal, Kaiadilt and Gangalidda Peoples and the process took eight (8) years • Restricted access to all CLCAC offices and work areas Following from the recovery of the devastating bushfires, before it was finally determined follwing a lengthy trial held to staff and essential visitors and service providers we find ourselves in a global pandemic caused by COVID-19 on Mornington Island. We remember all the people that gave only; (coronavirus). It has been truly shocking to see the impact it evidence in support of the Claim, many of whom are no longer has had in our Country and around the world especially the with us. loss of so many lives. We are very fortunate that our Region • Implemented required social distancing measures in and Communities are currently free of the virus and we urge I hope you enjoy reading this edition of our Newsletter and all of our offices as advised by government; our members, Native Title Holders and Claimants to stay don’t forget to check us out on Facebook and Instagram. 02 CLCAC.COM.AU CLCAC | NEWSLETTER | EDITION 34 03 Land and Environment Unit. Yagurli Tours. Land & Environment Meeting Native Title & PBC Update CLCAC’s Land and Environment Staff met for a Land and Environment planning meeting CLCAC continues to work with Native Title Claim groups in the Gulf to progress Native on 14-16 March. Title claims by providing legal advice, project support and administrative assistance. These meetings, which are held biannually, provide a platform Following this meeting, all travel ceased to and from the Region Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic restrictions in place, face to region (fracking). CLCAC has maintained a presence with the for operational staff from across our region to meet, plan and as part of CLCAC’s emergency pandemic response plan. face Native Title Holders, Claimants and PBC group meetings GBA Program’s stakeholder group to make sure that the views discuss the year ahead. Ranger Coordinators and the Project cannot be held, however the Legal representatives for the of native title holders were given priority, rejecting any fracking Support staff from Burketown, Normanton and Mornington Groups are ensuring that their rights and interested are activity in the Gulf region, and drawing attention to the impact Island attended the three day meeting. protected during this time, meetings held this period: that this activity could have on our land and sea country. In a recent update to CLCAC, the GBA Program announced that These planning meetings are critical to ensure the successful GRAC Director’s teleconference: 28 January and 31 March the third stage of planned investigations would not be taking coordination, implementation and integration of high value 2020; place. CLCAC welcomes this result for native title holders in the land and environment management initiatives across a Regional region who made it clear that fracking was not welcome in our landscape, involving all three Ranger Groups. GGNTAC Director’s teleconference: 19 February 2020; pristine region. Congratulations and thank you to all involved. CLCAC directly employs twenty-four Indigenous Rangers and GKAC: Governance Training on 3 March 2020 and SGM on 4 Yagurli Tours Project Support staff to undertake Land and Environment March 2020; and Gangalidda & Garawa’s tourism activities have seen some big management operations and provides support to a further four changes this quarter, welcoming Peter Ridley to the team in the Indigenous Rangers employed through the Wellesley Island IPA Gkuthaarn and Kukatj Claim Group Meeting: 5 March 2020; role of Tourism Operations Manager. Gangalidda & Garawa are Ranger Program. now operating both Yagurli Tours and the Burketown