Threats to Aboriginal land

You'll be surprised how many threats endanger Aboriginal land. Indigenous people have to fight on many fronts to keep alive their heritage, history and sacred sites.

Under current NSW legislation, Aboriginal people [are] not recognised as the owners and primary determiners of their heritage.—Bev Manton, Chairperson New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council in 2010 [8]

Threat: Climate change

Climate change affects Aboriginal land already. Torres Strait Islanders are noticing visible changes to their land, including erosion, rough seas and higher storm frequency, according to former Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Tom Calma [1]. Other risks include king tides, and ocean acidification and its effects on coral reefs and fish.

Extreme weather conditions have the potential to reduce water availability and erode infrastructure like sewerage systems and housing on the islands. Many villages are only about two metres above sea level.

"There is a real possibility that some communities will need to move to higher ground or relocate altogether to the mainland," Calma said. Shaun Edwards from far North Queensland agrees, predicting that "Torres Strait Islanders will end up coming to the mainland" [11], an option not considered by others such as Climate Change Minister Penny Wong [15].

But Aboriginal people are well-placed "to help mitigate the impacts of climate change because of where they live and their unique knowledge of the land," says Joe Ross, Chair of the Northern Australia Land and Water Taskforce [2].

We already have water rising in Kowanyama… At high tide water runs right through some islands. —Shaun Edwards, Cape York Aboriginal leader [11]

Threat: Tourism

Tourism can often peacefully coexist with Aboriginal land, but sometimes is a threat to Indigenous interests. Uluru (formerly known as Ayers Rock) is one such example.

For Aboriginal people Uluru is a sacred site and should be off-limits for non-Indigenous visitors. Demands to close the only climb in respect to the rock's significance have been made many times.

But Uluru is an icon of international value for Australia's tourism industry. When yet another call for its closure was made in early 2010 the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, NT Chief Minister Paul Henderson and Environment Minister Peter Garett were compelled to call for Uluru to be kept open because "the future for this internationally significant icon lies in visitor experiences that reflect its World Heritage values" [3].

Unfortunately some of Uluru's annual 100,000 visitors don't care much about its sacredness or the signs that discourage a climb and defecate on it [3]. Many more party or urinate up there. Visitors from all over the world take home parts of the rock, and many feel haunted for months after, subsequently sending back their stones to Australia.

[Prime Minister] Kevin Rudd won't be around forever. One day he'll be gone and Aboriginal people won't. They'll still be there watching people leave tracks over their sacred site. —David Ross, director Central Land Council (representing Indigenous groups) [3]

What most people are unaware of is the fact that the heart centre of Australia – Uluru – has a calling of healing energy to the spirit to come, and experience 'The Rock'. This draws many, if not millions, from all over the world to touch, connect to and experience these vibrations of one of the most sacred heart centres of the earth. —Pascoe Braun, son of one of the custodians of Uluru [9]

Threat: Development

Developers' projects such as infrastructure, businesses and dwellings often threaten to damage or destroy sacred sites, rock art or places of great important to the local Aboriginal people.

For example, in late 2009 the 'Guardian Tree' at Bulahdelah in New South Wales, "the most sacred site of the Worimi nation", was cut by workers with chainsaws, backed by police who kept the protesters away [5]. The tree made way for a highway bypass.

At the same time Aboriginal people in Tasmania were fighting the Brighton Bypass which was bulldozed through land rich of significant sites with an estimated 3 million artefacts and "one of the most important archaeological sites in Tasmania" according to head archaeologist Rob Paton [10]. It was confirmed to date back 40,000 years, making it the oldest site in the southern hemisphere with evidence of human habitation [12]. The government offered to build a bridge over the area.

In June 2010 Gomilaroi Elder Lyall Munro was fighting the sale in Moree, NSW, of a site known to have been an Aboriginal burial ground. The NSW government had approved the sale to retailing giant Woolworths. Munro believes the remains of 39 people could still be in the site [16].

Bev Manton, Chairperson of the NSW Aboriginal Land Council, observes that "some 900 sites have been destroyed in recent years… with recent figures showing up to five permits [to destroy cultural heritage] being issued a week" [8]. New South Wales remains the only state without independent culture and heritage legislation.

The situation in Tasmania is similar. "We have found that since [Tasmanian] Minister [for Environment, Parks, Heritage and the Arts] Michelle O'Byrne took over responsibility for Aboriginal heritage, more than 30 destruction permits were issued under her name without any involvelment of Aboriginal people," says Michael Mansell, Director of the Tasmanian Aboriginal Legal Centre [10].

The need to preserve ancient buildings has never been more embedded in Tasmanian culture than it is today, yet there is the strange contradiction in attitudes towards preserving Aboriginal heritage. —Michael Mansell, Aboriginal campaigner [6]

Threat: Mining

Mining interests collide with Aboriginal land interests ever since Australia's rich resources were discovered. Many political decisions were not driven by the best interests for Aboriginal people but by revenue generated by Australia's resource industry.

Jillian Marsh is a member of the Australian Nuclear Free Alliance (ANFA) Committee and a custodian of the Adnyamathanha people of the Flinders Ranges in South Australia.

She says that "extensive case study research and the concerns raised by Aboriginal people at the grass-roots level shows that mining agreements have not improved life for Aboriginal people, and uranium mines mean more problems."

"It is cynical for the uranium industry to act as if it can deliver for Aboriginal people. The main lasting effect of uranium mining for Aboriginal people is radioactive waste on their country, and no resources to clean up the mess left by miners" [7].

Read how mining activities threaten the oldest gallery of Aboriginal rock engravings on the Burrup Peninsula in Western Australia.

Threat: Weeds

Introduced weeds that spread over Australia are another threat to Aboriginal land. Once weeds take over the native flora is pushed back and eventually vanishes. This impacts the traditional ways Aboriginal people live and damages their culture.

The Noxious Weeds List listed 478 weeds in June 2010 [14].

If these weeds come to our country we are afraid we will lose our way of life, culture and health of our people. —Yirrkala rangers, Northern Territory [13]

Out of respect for Aboriginal culture I use Indigenous sources as much as possible.
[1] 'Climate change a threat to Indigenous people: Calma', NIT 14/5/2009 p.6 [2] 'Firefighters save station', Koori Mail 445 p.7 [3] 'Uluru climbs to continue: Garett', SMH 9/1/2010 [4] 'Uluru climb to remain', Koori Mail 465 p.4 [5] ''Most sacred tree' felled for highway', Koori Mail 467 p.13 [6] 'Tas stand-off over - for now', Koori Mail 468 p.8 [7] 'Mundine joins the uranium 'dialogue'', Koori Mail 445 p.8 [8] 'National heritage standard is urged', Koori Mail 467 p.14 [9] 'Hands off Uluru', Koori Mail 468 p.23 [10] 'Tas work restarted', Koori Mail 469 p.13 [11] 'An agent of change', Koori Mail 471 p.21 [12] 'Tasmanians stand firm on planned roadworks', Koori Mail 475 p.12 [13] 'Rangers target weeds', Koori Mail 475 p.29 [14] www.weeds.org.au, visited 27/06/2010 [15] 'Report outlines flooding threats', Koori Mail 476 p.34 [16] 'Approval sparks Moree tensions', Koori Mail 478 p.11