Thursday, March 4th, 2010
Halls Creek: Native title claim over mine
by Geoff Vivian
Trust administrator John Gray with the Malay family native title claim this morning
An East Kimberley Aboriginal family lodged a native title claim over a working nickle mine this morning.
Sisters Maria and Beverley Malay are demanding their family be recognised as the Traditional Owners of an area that includes a mine formerly known by their father’s name, Sally Malay.
The family lodged the claim as an independant Traditional Owner family, not though the Kimberley Land Council which represents most Kimberley native title claimants.
The mine is already subject to a mining agreement, whereby the mine’s owner funds an Aboriginal trust.
“These funds are to assist Kija people for the relief of poverty and homelessness,” say trust documents.
Kimberley Land Council Executive Director Wayne Bergmann said he administers the fund.
“It is completely false for Maria Malay to claim she has ever asked Kimberley Land Council to represent her regarding the mining agreement,” he said.
The sisters, who are Kija people, are represented by an accounting firm that administers native title trusts.
They remain upset that the mine, located north of Halls Creek, was named after their deceased father.
“It’s against our culture to call or title our dead relations’ names,” said Beverley Malay.
Although the name has since been changed, the mine is still commonly known as “Sally Malay” by people in Halls Creek, Kununurra and surrounding areas.
Maria Malay said her father’s spirit is still troubled and she often has bad dreams.
The Malay family’s native title claim was presented to the Native Title Tribunal in Perth today.
Picture: John Gray, native title trust administrator with Pascoe Partners.
Pascoe Partners advertises with KimberleyPage.
Our Sponsors
Our Sponsors
