Enough to make Mabo turn in his grave

BHP Billiton’s approach to socially sustainable development, as stated in its 2009 annual report, involves “engaging with those affected by our operations, including employees, contractors and communities; and respecting and upholding fundamental human rights”.

But it is effectively throwing as much money as is deemed necessary - but not disproportionate to its usual pecuniary expectations - to achieve BHP Billiton’s ultimate goal of unlimited access to and use of Indigenous land for mining purposes.

Why wouldn’t Faragher concede to the requests of BHP Billiton in the Yeelirrie uranium mine project when Federal Resources Minister Martin Ferguson was beating his chest like a victorious gorilla having won over a new mate, after cementing in August Australia’s biggest-ever trade deal, a $50 billion contract to supply liquefied natural gas to China.

Ferguson said the deal was another “major economic stimulus” package.

Many traditional owners are not on the whole opposed to mining but have objections to projects on sites of cultural significance. Some traditional owners see the $50 billion Gorgon gas project as a danger to threatened animal species.

Western Australian Green’s senator, Rachel Siewert, was scathing of the aggressive approach the federal and state governments applied to traditional owners to persuade them to be co-operative with consent agreements for the lucrative gas deal with China. “Aboriginal communities should not be forced to trade off resources on their land in order to gain the basic human requirements the rest of us take for granted,”’ Siewert said. “Economic investment, better health outcomes and higher standard of living should not come at the cost of their environment.”

Sounds like the controversy that surrounded Western Australia’s Burrup Peninsula outdoor rock engraving site - reported to be the world’s largest site, dating back 30,000 years, with representation of the first human face in history. The State government agreed to clear it for a natural gas production and processing facility for Woodside Petroleum.

But for those Indigenous people who support the government’s line, there are rewards gifted them by federal and state governments. Executive director of the Kimberley Land Council, Wayne Bergmann, has been taking directions from Kimberley Traditional Owners in relation to an LNG processing facility at James Price Point. The KLC facilitated negotiations with the state and federal governments and Woodside, on behalf of Traditional Owners. Traditional Owners have made all the decisions in relation to the process. However, in recognition for his contribution to this process, Bergmann was recently named chairman, in a voluntary basis, of the Western Australia new Aboriginal Advisory Council.

Speaking on ABC’s 7.30 Report on March 19 with Kerry O’Brien, in defence of his support of the project, Bergmann said: “These are multi-billion-dollar projects and traditional owners should expect no less than a multi-billion-dollar deal. Our people are living in absolute poverty and crisis. We can't turn our back on that. We have a responsibility to try and change that.”

Bardi elder Frank Davey, told the same program: “Money is not really important us to. Our culture is more important. It's a very hard thing for us to sell. We never ever sold any of our culture. And we are there to protect it.”

Another Bardi leader, Albert Wiggan, said: “It is the environment, it is the country and it's a land that makes us who we are.”

Australia prides itself on being an egalitarian society where all its citizens are treated equally. The utopia of a classless society reminds me of the joke about black and white people waiting to board an interstate coach at a major transit centre.