Nominated representatives of the Mount Jowlaenga #2 claim group and Walalakoo Aboriginal Corporation met last week with their authorised representatives KRED Enterprises on Sheffield Resources’ proposed Thunderbird Project. The Thunderbird Project affects both groups’ native title lands and waters. Sheffield has no heritage or native title consents to operate the Thunderbird Project from either group.
A representative of the groups stated, “We stand together, with KRED as our representative, to protect our lands and waters from the actions of companies that disrespect our native title. We will not let companies bully us away from the standards of agreements that our families and ancestors worked so hard to establish in the Kimberley. Companies who want to operate on our native title lands will need to engage properly with us through our representatives, to develop a relationship based on trust.”
Mount Jowlaenga and Walalakoo Aboriginal Corporation have invited representatives from the United Nations to visit the Kimberley in the coming weeks. The groups plan to discuss with the UN reps the actions of companies that seek to undermine and disregard native title and self-determination.