TRADITIONAL OWNER DEFENDS BURRUP AGREEMENT

Valerie Holborow-Cosmo.

GEOFF VIVIAN

In the Pilbara, a Yaburara traditional owner has come out strongly in defense of the agreement that governs Aboriginal rights over Murujuga, the Burrup Peninsula.

In 2003 Ngarluma-Yindjibarndi, Wong-Goo-Tt-Oo, and Yaburara Mardudhunera elders signed the Burrup and Maitland Industrial Estates Agreement, or BMIEA.

They received land entitlements and financial benefits for surrendering their native title rights and interests over the Burrup and dropping their Native Title claims. 

Valerie Holborow-Cosmo said she signed the agreement to protect her Yaburara people’s heritage.

“Don’t fight the government about the BMIEA, and tell them to tear the BMIEA up,” Ms Holborow-Cosmos said.

“Because why? You’ll have to deal with me.”

“I challenge you people going on social media and saying the Elders did not know what they are doing.

“Hello! I’m still here standing strong for Yaburara people. I signed that BMIEA, and no one can take our heritage away.”

Ms Holborow said Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation was never intended to act as a Native Title group.

“The government thought: ‘OK, we’ll put them together, Yaburara-Mardudhunera; Wong-Goo-Tt-Oo; Ngarluma-Yindjibarndi; and we’ll have three contracting parties’, meaning ‘business’.

“Not law and culture, business. Specifically business.”

Traditional custodians from the Save Our Songlines group have called for the BMIEA agreement to be renegotiated and for a “no-objections” clause to be removed.

The clause states MAC or the contracting parties cannot object to industrial developments.