Yindjibarndi People and RTIO Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA) |
Date: | 12 August 2013 | |
Sub Category: | Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA) (Native Title Act) |
Place: | Located in the vicinity of Wittenoom |
State/Country: | Western Australia, Australia |
| The Agreement Area includes the land and waters about 12,100 sq km located approximately 25 kilometres north west of Wittenoom.
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Legal Status: | Registered with the National Native Title Tribunal on the Register of Indigenous Land Use Agreements on 13 May 2015. This is a Area Agreement under the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth). | |
Legal Reference: | National Native Title Tribunal File No.:WI2014/005 | |
Alternative Names: | Yindjibarndi People and Rio Tinto Iron Ore Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA)
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Subject Matter: | Future Act | Land Use | Mining and Minerals | Native Title |
URL: | http://www.nntt.gov.au/searchRegApps/NativeTitleRegisters/Pages/ILUA_details.aspx?NNTT_Fileno=WI2014/005 | |
Summary Information: | |
The Yindjibarndi People and RTIO Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA) is an Area Agreement between:
- Hamersley Iron Pty Limited;
- Robe River Mining Co Pty Ltd;
- Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC; and
- Thomas Jacob, Stanley Warrie, Allum Cheedy, Kevin Guiness, Angus Mack, Michael Woodley, Joyce Hubert, Pansy Sambo, Jean Norman, Esther Pat, Judith Coppin and Masie Ingie on their own behalf as registered native title claimants and on behalf of the Yindjibarndi #1 Claim Group (WAD6005/2003).
The purpose of this Agreement is to provide consent and support for the doing of Agreed Acts in relation to mining and access.
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Detailed Information: | |
Commencement
The Extract specifies the start date of the Agreement as 12 August 2013.
No end date is specified, however the Agreement will terminate (subject to clauses 12.2 and 17.3(c)) on the termination of the Participation Agreement.
Details of the Agreement
The Agreement provides consent by the Yindjibarndi people to support Rio Tinto Iron Ore's (RTIO's) future exploration, infrastructure development and mining within the Agreement Area.
Native Title Provisions
Future Act Provisions
The Agreement provides consent and support from the Yindjibarndi people and their representatives, the Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation (YAC), for RTIO to continue their existing mining operations.
In addition, the parties consent to:
- the doing of certain Future Acts;
- the grant or modification of each approval and interest and modification of an existing title for an Agreed Purpose.
This consent extends to any activities and conduct of RTIO entities.
Right to Negotiate
The right to negotiate, as outlined under Subdivision P of Division 3 of Part 2 of the Native Title Act does not apply to any Agreed Act.
RTIO Existing Titles
RTIO's Existing Titles are defined under Clause 7.4 of the Agreement to include:
(a) approvals and their related interests that have been granted over the Agreement Area held by an entity of RTIO or a third party upon whom RTIO relies to conduct their business; and
(b) approvals and their related interests created in substitution to those outlined above.
Notice
Under the Agreement RTIO may, but is notobliged to give YAC and the Yindjibarndi people notice of an Agreed Act.
However, where a request is made by YAC or the Yindjibarndi people, RTIO must provide notice within 15 days.
Any entity conducting business on RTIO's behalf is obliged to give YAC and the Yindjibarndi people notice of an Agreed Act that is:
i. a mining tenement;
ii. a statutory easement in gross;
iii. a censure that confers a right of exclusive possession; or
iv. the compulsory acquisition of native title.
The notice must:
i. be in writing;
ii. identify the Agreed Act;
iii. describe the location of the Agreed Act;
iv. inform YAC or the Yindjibarndi people of their right to issue a Dispute Notice;
v. provide a map showing the land subject to the Agreed Act; and
vi. attach a copy of the clause in the Agreement relating to notice.
Deemed Agreed Acts
All Agreed Acts identified in the notice from RTIO are deemed and agreed to by the parties to be Agreed Acts where:
i. YAC or the Yindjibarndi people do not serve a Dispute Notice; or
ii. YAC or the Yindjibarndi people do serve a Dispute Notice but the dispute is resolved in favour of the Agreed Act.
After having received notice, YAC or the Yindjibarndi people may issue a Dispute Notice no earlier than 30 Business Days.
Agreed Act Certificate
RTIO may provide to the State of Queensland, any Government Agency or any other person an Agreed Act Certificate.
That Certificate may include:
i. a copy of any relevant notice;
ii. a copy of the clause relating to Agreed Act Certificates;
iii. confirmation that the notice has not been withdrawn; and
iv. a statement that no Dispute Notice has been served.
RTIO Entities
In relation to the Agreed Acts, the Agreement discharges any obligation of RTIO Entities in relation to procedural rights conferred upon YAC and the Yindjibarndi people.
However, where an RTIO Entity does have an obligation to issue notice to YAC and the Yindjibarndi people about an Agreed Act, the notice may be issued separately or through the procedure outlined above.
Despite RTIO Entities being discharged of any obligation to confer procedural rights in favour of the Yindjibarndi people, nothingderogates from those procedural rights attaching to the Yindjibarndi people as:
i. owners of a freehold estate;
ii. holders of a lease for industrial or commercial purposes; or
iii. holder of an interest in land for the establishment or use as an Aboriginal residence or residential community.
The parties
The Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation (YAC) is the legally appointed representative of the Yindjibarndi people and on their behalf negotiates access to Yindjibarndi country by commercial interests.
Yindjibarndi people traditionally lived in the area near the town of Roebourne in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The area is bordered by Kariyarra and Nyamal land to the north, Ngarluma to the west, Martuthunira and Kurrama land to the south and Nyiyaparli and Palyku land to the east. It is around the area of the Fortescue River.
Background
Native Title in the ILUA Area
The Yindjibarndi people lodged a native title claim in July 2003 which was registered in August 2003. The application area is in the Pilbara in the vicinity of Karijini National Park bordering the native title applications of the Kuruma Marthudunera Combined and the Eastern Guruma claim amongst others.
For further information, see http://www.riotinto.com/media/media-releases-237_8787.aspx. | |