$50m Native Title deal

The State Government has signed a Native Title agreement with the traditional owners in the East Kimberley, which it hopes will pave the way for further development of the Ord River irrigation project.

The agreement is one of the most comprehensive in Western Australia: the Government estimates it is worth $50 million while the Kimberley Land Council and the Miriuwung Gajerrong people believe it is worth up to $30 million.

Acting Premier Eric Ripper said the agreement resolved Native Title and heritage issues affecting 65,000 hectares around Kununurra.

The package includes $24 million over 10 years to establish and operate the new Miriuwung Gajerrong Corporation, which includes an investment fund that will allow the MG people to invest in the region.

The corporation will be entitled to 5 per cent of the area of new farms developed in the region.

Developers of new projects must negotiate an Aboriginal development package, which would address Aboriginal employment, heritage protection and give the Miriuwung Gajerrong people the ability to acquire a further 5 per cent equity in new projects.

The Government will also provide $11 million to improve services to Aboriginal people and $6 million to fund joint management arrangements for six new conservation areas.

“This agreement gives us a real stake in the future of the East Kim-berley region,” Miriuwung Gajerr-ong spokesman Ben Ward said.

The Ord River irrigation project currently covers about 12,000 hectares and generates annual production worth $50 million.

Native Title, Aboriginal heritage and commercial constraints have halted further development of the area.

Mr Ripper said the state would now work with the Northern Territory Government (which has responsibility for about half the Ord River irrigation area) and the private sector to accelerate economic development. Specific steps taken by the Government include refining predicted infrastructure costs and determining the optimum area for initial development.

Ord River Coop general manager Jim Hughes said “a key issue is how the government deals with infra-structure costs”. He said passing on the costs to developers could stifle any expansion before it even started.

Local industry is keen to see incremental development through smaller land releases, which would allow sugar growers and other farmers to expand their operations.

Mango, grapefruit and sandalwood investment schemes, run by Rewards Group and listed companies TFS and Integrated Tree Cropping, have targeted the area.

TFS bought an extra 870ha last year for its sandalwood projects.