Queensland鈥檚 Labor government has secretly extinguished Wangan and Jagalingou native title rights over the Galilee Basin in its latest act of fawning support for Indian mining giant Adani.
The Wangan and Jagalingou people have repeatedly refused to give consent to Adani for its proposed coal mine in the region.
The extinguishment of native title happened some time ago but was only revealed on August 30.
Wangan and Jagalingou representatives were in a meeting with state government officials when they found out that Adani had been granted 鈥渆xclusive possession freehold title over large swathes of their lands, including the area currently occupied for ceremonial purposes,鈥 according to an August 31 .
Wangan and Jagalingou cultural leader Adrian Burragubba said: 鈥淲e have been made trespassers on our own Country.
鈥淥ur ceremonial grounds, in place for a time of mourning for our lands as Adani begins its destructive processes, are now controlled by billionaire miner Adani鈥
鈥淭his government and mining corporation, working hand in hand, had already sealed the deal in secret. They are criminalising our cultural laws and practice.
鈥淚t is now so perverse, that in a threatening letter from Adani Mining to our Council, denying our common law native title right to access our land, we are told we need Adani鈥檚 鈥榩rior consent鈥 to be on our own Country.
鈥淭he mining state of Queensland and its corporate vanguard, Adani, have never had our free prior consent to occupy our lands, or determine that a coal mine will be allowed to destroy them. Adani are the trespassers鈥
鈥淲e will never consent to these decisions and will maintain our defence of country. We will be on our homelands to care for our lands and waters, hold ceremonies and uphold the ancient, abiding law of the land.
鈥淲e will hold this government to account. Premier [Annastacia] Palaszczuk must understand how egregious and harmful her government鈥檚 actions are, and how they have enabled an abuse of power by Adani.鈥澛
Stop Adani Brisbane鈥檚 Moira Williams told 91自拍论坛 Weekly that it is 鈥渋ncredibly disappointing that the government seems to have sided with a big billionaire coal company and not with Traditional Owners who are fighting for the right to their land鈥.
However, she added, this did not mean the fight was over 鈥渇or the millions of Australian who want to stop this project.鈥
Socialist Alliance activist in Brisbane Kamala Emanuel told GLW it was an 鈥渙utrage鈥 that the government had sided with 鈥渁 corporate lawbreaker and climate vandal鈥 against Traditional Owners. 鈥淭he sores are still open and here is the government inflicting another wound.鈥
[For more information on how you can support or donate to the Wangan and Jagalingou Family Council visit wanganjagalingou.com.au.]