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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 509 asked in the Legislative Council on 26 June 2018 by Hon Michael Mischin

Parliament: 40 Session: 1


YINDJIBARNDI NATIVE TITLE DETERMINATION — FORTESCUE METALS GROUP APPEAL
      509. Hon MICHAEL MISCHIN to the minister representing the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs:
I refer to the answer to question without notice 484 on 14 June 2018 regarding the Yindjibarndi native title determination.
      (1) On how many occasions and when has the minister met with Fortescue Metals Group regarding this matter?
      (2) What precisely, as minister working ''to achieve outcomes that promote the interests of Aboriginal people � including Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation'', has he said or proposed to FMG in encouraging it to resolve the differences between it and other parties?
      (3) Having revealed that as Minister for Aboriginal Affairs he has and will ''continue to work to achieve outcomes that promote the interests of Aboriginal people'', how does he reconcile that with his duty as minister responsible for native title to work to achieve outcomes that promote the interests of all Western Australians, not just Aboriginal people?
Hon STEPHEN DAWSON replied:
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question.
(1) The minister met with FMG on 11 December 2017 to discuss this matter.
      (2) The minister discussed the longstanding dispute between FMG and the Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation. The minister will continue to work with both the Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation and FMG to assist with any possible resolution.
      (3) The minister does not see his role as Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and minister responsible for native title as being in conflict as the member asserts in his question. Any decisions that are made as minister responsible for native title take into account the best interests of the state. In the case of Yindjibarndi, the advice received stated that it was in the best interests of the state not to appeal, and the minister followed that advice.