Last week XYZ News reported on the halting of tree planting work in Geraldton, Western Australia due to interference of one aboriginal “elder” under the pretext of the newly legislated Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act.
Yesterday it was reported that tree planting work along the Canning River was halted after an “aboriginal corporation demanding $2.5 million. This is extortion, and it is a foretaste of what is to come should the so-called “voice to parliament” become a reality:
Wow…WA is showing the rest of Aus what that “voice” will be like to deal with. We need to rename it to The Money Grab.#VoteNoAustralia pic.twitter.com/4oJkSRdEcb
— JustMe (@AussieVal10) July 16, 2023
Amid ongoing confusion over the implementation of Western Australia’s controversial new cultural heritage laws, two major tree planting events in the state were cancelled this weekend after an Aboriginal corporation demanded $2.5 million for approval, according to a report.
Seven News reported on Sunday that the planting of 5500 shrubs and trees along Perth’s Canning River by 120 volunteers was called off, after a demand from the newly formed Whadjuk Aboriginal Corporation that any planting at sites of cultural significance along the river cease.
It is unclear what the deceased aboriginal ancestors plan to do with the $2.5 million.
The body cited the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act, which came into effect on July 1, establishing a vast new layer of bureaucracy via Local Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Services (LACHS), which are now responsible for determining whether an activity will cause “harm” to cultural heritage.
Under the new rules, penalties for damaging a cultural heritage site range from $25,000 to $1 million for individuals and $250,000 to $10 million for corporations, as well as jail time — although the state government late last month announced a 12-month “education-first” approach.
According to Seven News, Whadjuk Aboriginal Corporation chief executive David Collard told land care groups they could not proceed with the weekend’s events until a demand for $2.5 million from a $10 million river restoration fund was resolved.
News.com.au has contacted Mr Collard for comment.
David Collard looks totally aboriginal.
According to the broadcaster, the demand stunned the mayors of four councils and two major land care groups on the Canning River.
“We’re standing here today in solidarity with some of these environmental groups saying, somebody needs to clarify this legislation — it has become somewhat of a mess,” City of Canning Mayor Patrick Hall said.
Stephen Johnston from South East Regional Land Care said the seedlings were now at risk of dying.
“We’ve got to get them into the ground to make the most of the wet soil,” he said.
“We’ve got a whole lot of land groups across Perth and in WA, whose work is critical to fulfilment of Commonwealth, state and local government environmental objectives, it’s not just a nice thing to have, it is critical.”
Pat Hart from Armadale Gosnells Landcare Group said, “We’ve got four dams on the Canning, it’s under real issues. Time is … we can’t wait. We have to keep going forward.”
According to Seven News reporter Geofrey Parry, when Aboriginal Affairs Minister Tony Buti learned the broadcaster was doing the story he personally rang the mayors to assure them there was no issue.
He said in a statement, “The matter referred to has nothing to do with the modernised legislation.”
He said the same thing about the tree planting in Geraldton:
WA Aboriginal Affairs Minister Tony Buti said in a statement to 9 News Perth that the new laws did not allow the elder to shut down the event, and an investigation would be launched.
Yet here we are. This isn’t a one off. These are likely just the extortion attempts we’re aware of. It doesn’t matter if the legislation says they can do it or not. Elected representatives of the Australian people now scurry for cover at the faintest hint of disapproval from aborigines.
Aborigines squabbling over who should be doing the ‘smoking ceremony’ at a freeway opening, others shutting down tree planting working bees ‘cos it might disturb ‘cultural heritage’. This is just a small taste. pic.twitter.com/krfMTDN6uE
— I Say Toad! (@I_say_Toad) July 10, 2023
This is how they respond when aboriginals are given just a little bit of authority over what gets done on public or private land through legislation. If this kind of power is embedded in the Australian Constitution, aboriginal groups will extort money for every conceivable land use, event, construction, farm work, you name it.
It won’t matter if you own the land or The Crown owns the land. Aboriginals will be the new masters. They’re angry, they consider themselves the rightful owners of Australia and they believe we owe them.
They want reparations, and given the way our puppet rulers panic over the burning of gumleaves, they will surely cave the moment reparations are demanded. It won’t come from the public pocket either, it will come from yours.
The Voice… A Conservative Proposal?@JNampijinpa @nyunggai @PaulineHansonOz @MRobertsQLD @corybernardi @RitaPanahi pic.twitter.com/og5aemzlW6
— MilkBarTV (@TheMilkBarTV) July 13, 2023
The so-called voice to parliament won’t be a third chamber of parliament. It will be the new executive power of government. Nothing will get done without its approval, so rather than passing legislation and presenting it to “the voice” for approval, politicians will simply ask “the voice” to present them with the legislation to pass.
