JUUKAN REPORT PRESENTED TO PARLIAMENT: MEMBERS WANT CO-DESIGN

The remains of the rock shelter at Juukan Gorge sparked international outrage against Rio Tinto and the W.A State Government

The long-awaited report into the destruction of Juukan Gorge in the Pilbara has found a lack of safeguards for protecting Aboriginal Heritage Sites contributed to Rio Tinto destroying rock shelters despite evidence they had been inhabited for over 40,000 years.

The Report recommends overarching legislation from the Federal Government be passed to prevent inconsistencies between State and Territory laws.

Western Australian Labor Senator Patrick Dodson says not only does there need to be a collaborative approach by the major parties in parliament, but also from the crossbench and the need for co-design with the Aboriginal communities.

“I'd like to see both things that I'd certainly like to say the clear participation of First Nations in any new legislation that's drafted.

But I also like to see the parties of the parliament take a collaborative approach work together with the First Nations people's so that it can be a a outcome that we can all celebrate too often.

People see Aboriginal cultural matters as oppositional to development or to the mainstream value systems of this nation and they're not, they're fundamental to the human existence of mankind on this planet and that's what I think we would get if we had some buy-in.”

The Chairman of the Northern Australia Committee, Warren Entsch which led the inquiry into Juukan Gorge has backed Senator Dodson’s co-design calls and has also pointed a finger at Western Australia’s Government’s Section 18 in its Heritage Act which allowed the State Minister for Aboriginal Affairs to give approval for Rio Tinto to blast the site.

“I mean section 18 is it's nowhere else in the country and basically a section 18 is an approval an absolute approval to destroy anything any cultural our site without any ramifications whatsoever. Now, we know that

that's being reviewed.

Now, we had never had the opportunity of seeing the draft new legislation, that wasn't it wasn't made available to us, but I'm hoping that new legislation will remove that approval to destroy cost.

We've got to start to look at ways of protecting.”

Meanwhile another demonstration against the W.A Government’s new draft heritage act will be held in Perth this weekend, as Traditional Owners call for a veto power.