Western Australia has reached a historic settlement with the Tjiwarl people of the state’s northern Goldfield’s region, agreeing to compensate them for historic acts such as issuing mining leases on their traditional lands. The agreement sets out a greater say for the Tjiwarl on future developments by miners and others on issues including water management and mining or petroleum leases, and removes the need for future compensation claims.
The state will pay the Tjiwarl Aboriginal Corporation A$25.5 million ($17.3 million) for acts such as approving roads and issuing leases that damaged or destroyed the group’s legal rights over their traditional lands. Bellevue Gold and lithium developer Liontown Resources Ltd, which operate on Tjiwarl lands, were involved in the compensation litigation.
The agreement also returns some land parcels to Tjiwarl and expands the group’s conservation area. Chief Executive Greg Ryan-Gadsden of the Tjiwarl Aboriginal Corporation said the settlement provides a foundation to guide other native title groups to reach similar outcomes.
Lawyer Malcolm O’Dell of Central Desert Native Title Services said almost all the mining parties who may have had a liability as part of the original compensation claim have now settled that liability. This settlement sets a precedent for Indigenous groups to have a greater say in future developments.