Critical tree planting events are cancelled after newly formed Aboriginal corporation demanded a $2.5million payment for approval – as frustration grows over new cultural heritage laws
- WA’s cultural heritage laws create more havoc
- Tree planting events along a Perth river cancelled
- Whadjuk Aboriginal Corporation reportedly demand $2.5m
Two major tree-planting events have been cancelled following a demand by an Aboriginal corporation for a payment of $2.5 million in exchange for their approval.
Land care volunteers were meant to roll up their sleeves to plant 5500 seedlings along Perth’s Canning River on the weekend.
But the events never went ahead following a $2.5m demand from the newly formed Whadjuk Aboriginal Corporation, sparking confusion about Western Australia’s new Aboriginal heritage laws.
Its chief executive David Collard told land care groups that the plantings couldn’t proceed due to the Indigenous group’s ongoing dispute with the Western Australian government over funding.
The decision has bewildered conservation groups and community leaders, including four local mayors.
Whadjuk Aboriginal Corporation chief executive David Collard (pictured) reportedly told land care group that two tree planting evrents couldn’t proceed
There are now grave fears the seedlings are now at risk of dying and could go to waste.
‘We’ve got to get them into the ground to make the most of the wet soil,’ South East Regional Land Care’s Stephen Johnston told Seven News.
‘We’ve got a whole lot of land groups across Perth and in WA, whose work is critical to fulfilment of Commonwealth, state and local government environmental objectives, it’s not just a nice thing to have, it is critical.’
Pat Hart added: ‘We’ve got four dams on the Canning, it’s under real issues. Time is … we can’t wait. We have to keep going forward.’
It comes after the WA’s revamped Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act came into effect with tougher penalties for damaging sites of traditional significance.
Many rivers, creeks and other tributaries are now considered ethnographic sites, requiring the highest level of assessment to change.
The Canning River is among those now recognised as a site of Aboriginal cultural significance.
At least three community tree planting events have been shut down since the new laws came into effect a fortnight ago.
Thousands of seedlings were meant to be planted along Perth’s Canning River (pictured)
City of Canning mayor Patrick Hall (left) and land care advocates are furious over the decision
Frustrated mayors have pleaded with the WA government to step in and resolve the issue.
‘We’re standing here today in solidarity with some of these environmental groups saying, somebody needs to clarify this legislation — it has become somewhat of a mess,’ City of Canning Mayor Patrick Hall said.
Aboriginal Affairs Minister Tony Buti released a statement to insist the matter had ‘nothing to do with WA’s ‘modernised’ laws.
He then personally called concerned community leaders, including Cr Hall, to try and reassure them that was the case.
Shadow defence minister Andrew Hastie, who’s also federal member for Canning wants the new laws abolished.
‘The Aboriginal Cultural Heritage laws are only two weeks old, and already an Indigenous corporation is using them to demand millions of dollars,’ he wrote on Sunday night.
‘It’s time for Roger Cook (WA Premier) to scrap these divisive laws.’
The last furore comes after a week after the opening of the $232million Mitchell Freeway extension spiralled into chaos when two Aboriginal elders clashed over who had the right to conduct the smoking ceremony.
Deputy Minister Rita Saffioti was seen at the launch hurriedly turning away to consult with an official while Whadjak Noongar man Steve Jacobs bickered with another Indigenous man over who had the right to conduct the ceremony.
Thousands of seedlings which were meant to be planted are now at risk of dying
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