Argyle celebrates land use agreement
Indigenous and non-indigenous Australians gathered at the Argyle diamond mine in Western Australia in June to celebrate registration of the Argyle Participation Agreement (APA) as a Government recognised Indigenous Land Use Agreement.
The agreement between traditional land owners, Argyle Diamonds and the Kimberley Land Council, was three years in the making. It formally sets out a shared vision for regional development in the area of the mine and supersedes Argyle’s 20 year old Good Neighbour Agreement. The celebratory event was co-hosted by Argyle Diamonds and the traditional owners of the mining lease area.
The event was attended by the Governor General of Australia, Major General Michael Jeffery, and the Premier of Western Australia, Geoff Gallop. As politicians, business people and indigenous leaders arrived at Argyle, they were personally greeted by the traditional owners as guests to their region.
Besides outlining a view of the future, the APA expresses a mutual recognition of rights, including traditional owner ceremonial responsibilities associated with the mine lease area. The terms emphasise economic participation and regional development. As evidence of its intentions, Argyle was able to point to a substantial increase in the number of Aboriginal employees to 20 per cent of the workforce that occurred during the three year negotiation period.
Benefits to traditional owners, to be governed through community controlled trust structures, provide for present day and post mining programmes in health, education and culture. There are eight management plans for active traditional owner participation in non-operational activities. These include heritage protection, training and employment, cross cultural training for mine employees and contractors, access to non-operational areas of the mine lease, participation in closure and decommissioning options, and a once a year land management inspection by traditional owners.
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