Fortescue says $2.3b trumps Aboriginal voice in Parliament

Original article by Brad Thompson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 21 : 26-Jun-19

Fortescue Metals Group CEO Elizabeth Gaines says the pure-play iron ore miner favours "practical" measures to address disadvantage in Aboriginal communities rather than supporting the proposal for an indigenous voice to Parliament. Fortescue announced on 25 June that it has awarded two contracts worth a combined $179m to Aboriginal-owned businesses; it has awarded $2.3bn worth of contracts to Aboriginal-owned business and joint ventures since 2011. BHP and Rio Tinto declared their support for an indigenous voice to Parliament in early 2019.

CORPORATES
FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO

Land title ruling set to cost billions

Original article by Amos Aikman
The Australian – Page: 5 : 14-Mar-19

The High Court has upheld a previous ruling of the Federal Court, which found that the Ngaliwurru and Nungali peoples are entitled to compensation for "cultural loss" caused by the construction of infrastructure such as roads and water pipelines on native title land. The court ruling is limited to 1.26sq km of land at Timber Creek in the Northern Territory, but lawyers says it is likely to prompt similar compensation claims by native title holders across Australia.

CORPORATES
HIGH COURT OF AUSTRALIA, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, ASHURST AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF TREASURY AND FINANCE, QUEENSLAND. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET, NORTHERN TERRITORY. DEPT OF THE CHIEF MINISTER

Windsor apology after Mundine defamed on Twitter

Original article by Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 2 : 29-Nov-17

Tony Windsor has apologised to indigenous leader Warren Mundine after the latter claimed comments made by Windsor on Twitter amounted to defamation. Windsor, the former member for the federal seat of New England, had made the comments while watching Mundine on the ABC’s "Q&A" program on 27 November. Mundine said Windsor had implied he was "in the pocket" of mining company Adani. Windsor used Twitter to apologise to Mundine, and deleted the offending tweet.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, TWITTER INCORPORATED, ADANI MINING PTY LTD

Triple J moves Hottest 100 from Australia Day

Original article by Broede Carmody
The Age – Page: 3 : 28-Nov-17

Radio station Triple J will no longer count down its 100 top songs of the year on Australia Day, announcing on 27 November that it would move the Hottest 100 to the fourth weekend in January. Triple J stated a survey of listeners had found that 60 per cent had supported the change of date. The decision was initially prompted by an online petition started in August, with Triple J asked to move the Hottest 100 from Australia Day out of respect to Indigenous Australians. The Greens have welcomed the change, but federal Minister for Communications Mitch Fifield said he was "bewildered" by the change in date.

CORPORATES
TRIPLE J PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS

Adani coal bid clears native title hurdle

Original article by Andrew Tillett
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 9 : 15-Jun-17

The Senate has passed amendments to the Native Title Act to overturn the Federal Court’s decision in the McGlade case. The court had ruled that an indigenous land use agreement would not be valid unless it was signed by every registered native title claimant, rather than just a majority of traditional owners. The McGlade ruling had major implications for Adani’s proposed Carmichael coal mine in Queensland. Some traditional owners oppose the project and intend to press ahead with legal action in a bid to stop it from proceeding.

CORPORATES
ADANI MINING PTY LTD, ADANI ENTERPRISES LIMITED, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. NATIONAL NATIVE TITLE TRIBUNAL, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, SUPREME COURT OF QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Miners may face native title compo liability

Original article by Mark Ludlow
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 12 : 26-Aug-16

A ruling by the Federal Court in Darwin awarding $A3.3 million as compensation in a native title case is likely to be followed by other compensation claims. Western Australian Premier Colin Barnett has indicated that future compensation claims will either be dealt with by the state or by the beneficiaries of the grant of land. The Queensland Government favours mining companies making arrangements with indigenous groups on their own.

CORPORATES
FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET