Traditional Owners must share in critical minerals wealth
The National Native Title Council (NNTC) urges Senators to reject calls for the establishment of a Select Committee on First Nations Representative Bodies which would inquire into native title corporations and their representative regional bodies.
“Following the failure of the Voice to Parliament, it’s upsetting that some politicians would continue to use Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities as a political football…it is a sad day when native title holders who have spent decades fighting for their rights get dragged into politics for no good reason” – Kado Muir, Chair of the NNTC.
“Allies of First Nations Australians in the Senate will do our people no favours by indulging in further politicisation and division.” Jamie Lowe, CEO of the NNTC warned.
“Calls for yet another review of Native Title corporations are nothing more than a distraction from the real issues and practical solutions — the chronic lack of sustainable funding.” Mr Lowe continued.
Prescribed Bodies Corporate, or PBCs, are the corporations through which native title holders do business with project proponents and governments on matters concerning their Country.
Most PBCs operate on a median income of less than $7,000 per annum and struggle to meet even basic corporate functions. Many rely on the regional bodies, such as Land Councils, to provide critical support in achieving strong governance.
In the Parliamentary Inquiry into the destruction of Juukan Gorge the inadequate funding of PBCs was thoroughly ventilated as a core problem inhibiting their ability to function and exacerbating power imbalances with project proponents.
The Committee recommended the Australian Government establish an independent fund for PBCs to provide them ongoing, secure funding.
Instead of wasting resources on another costly review, the focus should be on providing the support needed for PBCs to continue their essential work
Jamie Lowe
PBCs are crucial for the Australian economy, particularly in the transition to clean energy. According to NetZero Australia, over 40% of Australia’s clean energy infrastructure will be on native title lands. This means project developers need to be able to do business with Traditional Owners via their native title corporations.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the Garma festival in August noted that “many of the more than 270 native title bodies don’t have the resources to engage in commercial negotiations.” He declared that “some of the changes we need to make are not political, they are practical”.
“PBCs need adequate and ongoing support to create intergenerational wealth and other opportunities. Without that, our communities cannot close the gap,” said Mr Lowe.
“Instead of rushing into yet another costly review, the NNTC calls on Senators to instead take practical steps to fund PBCs so they can create a better future for their communities.”
