The full agreement to be considered in the South West Settlement has been negotiated and is now ready to be considered by the Noongar community
The most comprehensive proposal of its kind in Australian history
In exchange for land, financial and other benefits, native title rights to be surrendered across the entire south-west
Premier Colin Barnett today congratulated the South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council (SWALSC) on the completion of negotiations with the Western Australian Government on the final content of an agreement for the surrender of any native title rights across the entire south-west.
The agreement will be considered by the Noongar community at authorisation meetings between January and March next year. The meetings will involve members of the principal Noongar groups with claims that collectively cover the entire south-west.
"The settlement is the most comprehensive proposal of its kind in Australian history. It has grown out of native title claim negotiations but has become much more in terms of investing in the future of the Noongar community," Mr Barnett said.
The claim groups and towns they include are Whadjuk (Perth Metropolitan), South West Boojarah (Busselton, Pemberton, Nannup) and Harris Family (Yallingup, Margaret River), Ballardong (York, Northam, Hyden, Kondinin), Wagyl Kaip (Katanning, Gnowangerup, Albany), Yued (Jurien, Moora, Lancelin, Gingin) and Gnaala Karla Boodja (Mandurah, Bunbury, Donnybrook).
Premier Barnett said if the offer was accepted, recognition of Noongar people under Noongar (Koorah, Nitja, Boordahwan) (Past, Present, Future) Recognition Bill 2014 would replace the recognition that Noongars sought under the Commonwealth Native Title Act 1993. The Bill was tabled in State Parliament on February 26, 2014 with bipartisan support.
"The South West Settlement will deliver greater certainty over land management to business and government and provide the Noongar community with greatly improved opportunities for cultural, social and economic development," the Premier said.
The finalisation of the documentation marks the end of almost five years of negotiations over a significant package of benefits for the Noongar community, in exchange for the surrender of any native title rights across the south-west.
"I congratulate the SWAlSC on this progress and I also congratulate everyone across Government who worked to get to this point in the negotiations," Mr Barnett said.
The Premier said the total offer from the State Government was worth more than $1.3 billion over 12 years.
The decision now rests with the Noongar community to determine whether they will surrender any native title rights they may hold on the terms spelt out in the Indigenous Land Use Agreements (ILUAs).
SWALSC will now hold ILUA authorisation meetings with each claim group where the eligible members of each group will have the opportunity to vote to either accept or reject the State's offer.
All documents will be made public within the next few days.
Fact File
On July 5, 2013, the State presented a final offer to the SWALSC
Since then, the State and SWALSC have been in exhaustive negotiations to finalise the content of the settlement package
Premier's office - 6552 5000
