Good News for Martu Aboriginal People
24th April 2013
Greens WA Member for the Mining and Pastoral Region and Spokesperson on Aboriginal issues, Robin Chapple MLC, today described his feelings of joy after having attended the Declaration Ceremony for the Birriliburu Indigenous Protected Area (IPA), held yesterday at Well 6 on the Canning Stock Route.
“At this time in our history, when it seems only conflict between people is newsworthy, what a joyous event was witnessed out here in the Little Sandy Desert bio-region.
“After a long and thorough development process, this is a magnificent result for the Martu people, who have now achieved full recognition of their role in managing this land for thousands of years.
“With the rapid increase in whitefella four-wheel drive tourism along the Canning Stock Route, this new IPA arrangement has not come a moment too soon”, said Mr Chapple.
“Over millennia, the Martu people, through their waterholes, expert fire management, rock art and all the other evidence of their care for this land have shown us that their descendants are the rightful custodians of the current day health and management of their country.
“This country is fragile, and the assistance that comes with this IPA declaration will enable the Birriliburu native title holders to carry out their desire of ‘looking after country’ in all the environmental and cultural ways that this simple phrase entails.
“For example, the region includes important ‘law’ areas for the native title holders, and is home to threatened species of fauna and flora.
