2020-07-01
The destruction of First Nations heritage sites, wider ramifications of justice for First Nations people and the growing need for intergenerational equity
By Hon. Robin Chapple, MLC for Mining and Pastoral
2020 continues to be dynamic and volatile year both at home in WA and around the world. I’d like to take this chance to acknowledge Peoples of Colour around the world, especially the First Nations Peoples of my home State, and their struggles with systematic abuse, incarceration, marginalisation, and disenfranchisement from their culture and histories.
These struggles aren’t a foreign problem; they are also deeply embedded in our own Western Australian systems and practices. In this regard, this month has been huge. The legal destruction of two of the Juukan Gorge caves brought to light those issues I have raised for decades. The history and culture of our indigenous Australians are not for sale; their destruction cannot be an approvals process. The destruction at Juukan isn’t an anomaly; it’s the standard practice of industry allowed by both our federal and state Governments. This month, after investigating further, I moved a motion that the Upper House acknowledges its failure, and works towards improvements ‒ if not an overhaul of the entire system.
It was also an honour to talk with my West Australian Federal colleague, Sen. Rachel Siewert, who rightly argued that the Inquiry into the destruction of 42,000-year-old artefacts in the Juukan Gorge caves, in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, was insufficient. With Federal Greens support this was later opened-up to include all mismanagement of Aboriginal Heritage in Australia; both Northern and Southern. I hope that this is the end for our outmoded conceptions of indigenous heritage, and humanity’s responses to climatic and environmental oscillations; and hopefully the beginning of respect for humanity’s shared cultural heritage in Western Australia.
It was pleasing to see so many people attend both the rally at Rio Tinto Head Offices, and the rally at Langley park, and I commend everyone for their respectful, organised, and peaceful protests. It was stunning ‒ my twenty years in Parliament and to have so many Australians battling for Indigenous recognition; I feel like that future is not far off. In similar vein, seeing the increasing response of regular Australians to climate change and environmental oscillations is a rewarding sight. It is concerning that this Government is using COVID-19 as an excuse to bolster the dirty energy sector, ensuring natural and socioeconomic collapse, and profits for their Industry mates.
Intergenerational Equity is a core policy of the Greens (WA) but this month, young people across the globe have demanded the future they want. It is incredible to see. Perhaps it’s not so much building the future for young people – it’s building the future by young people. Young people around the world have demonstrated they will not tolerate the fundamental inequities in our political, social, and economic systems. My own youth was marked by the civil rights movements and saw huge gains in ensuring civil rights for workers, women, and people of colour and I applaud the work of our younger Australians in picking up that torch that some of my generation may have dropped. The successes of WA public movements this month has shown us that the people united can overcome pandemics, mobilise their privilege, and turn the political tide.
We must continue the fight for the liberty and equality of all Australians. We must continue the fight to protect indigenous culture and heritage. We must continue the fight to keep Big Business out of our Parliament and our governments. We must support young Australians, their understanding of our society, and their right to influence their own future.
Header photo: Black Lives Matter rally at Langley Park, Perth, 13th June. Connor Slight