NOONGARS YET TO RECEIVE ANY MONEY

South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council chairman Brendan Moore.

The WA Government has made its second $60 million payment to the South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council.

However chairman Brendan Moore was quick to point out they were yet to receive any of the money.

It has been held by Perpetual Trustees until six regional Aboriginal Corporations had been formed, elected their office bearers, and submitted business plans.

“The first payment was made in April last year and the second one this year,” Mr Moore said. “So we’ve put together our budgets and applied for the moneys but the Noongar Advisory Committee and Perpetual are going over our application with a fine toothed comb.”

Mr Moore said they hoped to receive some of the funding soon.

A total of $123 million is now in the fund, with 10 more annual payment due of $60 million each, indexed to inflation.

The State is also transferring 320,000 hectares of Crown land over a five year period.