Fortescue Metals and PKKP Aboriginal Corporation have signed a memorandum of understanding they hope will lead to join management of current and future projects on Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura lands. The PKKP holds native title over nearly 11,000sqm of sparsely populated land west of Karijini National Park, including FMG’s Eliwana mine in Western Australia’s Pilbara region.
The corporation was highly critical of Rio Tinto after the miner destroyed 46,000-year-old heritage-listed rock shelters at Juukan Gorge in May 2020, against the wishes of the PKKP people, who were unaware of the company’s intentions until it was too late.
The Juukan disaster was condemned globally and led to a federal parliamentary inquiry and resignation of senior Rio Tinto executives, and eventually led the WA government to overhaul its Aboriginal cultural heritage laws.
The new Act came into effect in WA on July 1 and, among the changes, was the removal of a clause that allowed destruction of the significant site with ministerial approval. PKKP chairman Terry Drage was confident co-management of mines was the strongest mechanism to protect the rights, interests, culture and tradition of the PKKP peoples when dealing with development on its country.
For the rest of this article: https://nit.com.au/13-07-2023/6772/juukan-gorge-owners-pkkp-and-fortescue-negotiate-land-use-deal