An Indigenous body has aired frustration about the mammoth effort in helping the state government bring about change to protect Aboriginal cultural heritage which it says has fallen on deaf ears.
The Yamatji Indigenous community has celebrated a landmark economic package and native title recognition for more than 100,000 hectares of land in Western Australia's Mid West.
Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation says it will continue to lobby and fight for the Aboriginal Heritage Act Amendment Bill, which is currently before parliament, to be re-drafted.
The High Court has ruled that native title rights are not extinguished by the granting of mining leases, in what indigenous groups have described as a landmark decision which will provide a clear basis for the resolution of other native title disputes.
Giving Aboriginal people the chance to labour on mines can't be considered real compensation for the permanent destruction of traditional lands, but the more progressive companies have recognised the potential to establish genuine partnerships with native title groups
The determination of native title and the subsequent negotiation of land-use agreements is a long and arduous process for all involved but a signature on the dotted line of a deal is only the begin
Twenty years on from the first recognition of native title in Australia, land-use agreement negotiations and the management of benefits has evolved significantly.
