Country, Culture, People, Future

Pilbara

Cautious easing of social restrictions in WA

Posted: April 28th, 2020

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Following continued low numbers of new cases of COVID-19 coronavirus in WA, from Monday 27 April 2020 some stage 3 restrictions have been relaxed. This cautious easing of restrictions will help families and friends to stay connected during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Indoor and outdoor non-work gatherings of up to 10 people are now allowed at:

  • weddings and funerals
  • outdoor personal training (no shared equipment)
  • home opens and display village inspections

If a single household has more than 10 people, that household remains exempt from this new rule. All public playgrounds, skate parks and outdoor gym equipment are to remain closed, along with other restrictions previously implemented to minimise the spread of COVID 19 in the community.

It is still very important that people follow the guidance on social distancing which includes keeping a distance of 1.5 meters from others, and minimising unnecessary contact.  WA remains in a State of Emergency and so various restrictions are still enforceable by fines.

For more information please see the media statement  and updates on the WA Government website 

Watch the highlights from the 2018 Yule River Meeting

Posted: August 14th, 2018

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The 5th Annual On-Country Bush Meeting at Yule River was another extraordinary gathering bringing together more than 400 Traditional Owners from across the Pilbara to discuss issues affecting them and their families. The meeting endorsed Pilbara Aboriginal Voice (PAV), the remarkable group borne out of the 4th meeting in 2017. PAV has made significant progress working together to address issues including language preservation, remote housing, the protection of Aboriginal heritage, Constitutional Recognition, health, education, justice, and the welfare of children.

This year, the 40-strong group welcomed more than 20 new members, and was officially endorsed and recognised by both Federal and State Aboriginal Affairs Ministers Ben Wyatt and Senator Nigel Scullion and others. PAV was acknowledged as an historic union of language groups working as one voice to call on all levels of government to improve living conditions for Aboriginal West Australians.

Today and every day, we recognise Aboriginal Elder, our Deputy Co-Chairperson, Mrs Doris Eaton, for her ongoing inspirational leadership, and great vision for the Pilbara, our Aboriginal Directors, and our dedicated YMAC staff, for their contributions to the Yule River meeting.

For more information about Yule River meetings and their history, please see https://lnkd.in/gEbB4J2

The Heart of Our Outback – Landscape and Nature Photography Prize

Posted: July 26th, 2018

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Landscape photography prize

Do you love taking photos in the Outback and want to WIN $1000?

Entries are currently open for The Heart of Our Outback – Landscape and Nature Photography Prize, presented by Create Ranger Parks with the support of the WA Photographic Federation. The competition will showcase the unique landscapes and natural beauty of WA’s Pilbara, Mid West and Gascoyne.

Create Ranger Parks is a community driven proposal to ensure protection for 5 million hectares of WA’s remarkable Outback heart. We’re proud to be a supporter of the Create Ranger Parks initiative – and entering the photo competition is one way you can get involved!

Enter your best landscape and nature images to help inspire all Western Australians and encourage the State Government to create a new national park network, managed by Indigenous rangers, for all of us to experience and enjoy.

All shortlisted entries will be exhibited from Friday 24th August until Tuesday 28th August at the Gary Holland Community Centre in Rockingham. The Premier, Mark McGowan, has been invited to open the exhibition. A grand prize of $1000 cash will be awarded to the best overall image in the exhibition.

Entries are now open and will close on Sunday 5th August.

Visit the official competition webpage to find out more about the categories and to submit your entries: www.CreateRangerParks.org.au/outbackphotoprize

Share with your friends and get snapping! We can’t wait to see some of your fabulous images make it into the exhibition in August.

Best of luck!

AEMO estimates flawed as solar costs decline

Posted: July 18th, 2018

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MEDIA STATEMENT: Wednesday, 18 July 2018 

Pilbara Solar, a 25 per cent Aboriginal owned renewable energy company, has questioned a national report on Australia’s energy future after it failed to recognise WA’s solar rich regions.

Yesterday’s report by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), the nation’s independent energy market operator, to COAG, stated that ageing coal-fired power plants would still deliver the cheapest electricity for the next 20 years.

Pilbara Solar Director, and renewable energy developer, Richard Finlay-Jones, said the report did not recognise regions like the Pilbara which had one of the greatest solar resources in the world, and was one of the most energy intensive locations in the country.

“WA is the most solar rich state in the nation, and, with the right support from all levels of government, the Pilbara has the potential to become a 100 per cent renewable Zero Emissions Zone within a decade,” Dr Finlay-Jones said.

Dr Finlay-Jones said current investment in renewable energy had never been stronger in Australia, and the power source never cheaper, with states with the largest targets demonstrating the greatest investment benefits, and the cheapest power.

“Renewable energy deployment had been driving down the wholesale price of power, and wind and solar energy is now cheaper than coal and diesel,” Dr Finlay-Jones said.

“The AEMO report to COAG actually states that Bloomberg New Energy Finance estimates about 90 per cent of the $88bn forecast spent on adding power capacity in Australia will be outlaid on clean energy.

“It is imperative that regions like the Pilbara are recognised among the greatest solar resources in the world.”

Pilbara Solar is 25 per cent owned by the Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation (YMAC), which YMAC Chief Executive, Simon Hawkins, said represented Traditional Owners whose lands covered one million square kilometres in WA with some of the best solar resources in the world.

Read the media statement here: AEMO estimates flawed

Yule River Meeting Outcomes 2018

Posted: July 16th, 2018

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The 5th Annual On-Country Bush Meeting at Yule River was another extraordinary gathering bringing together more than 400 Traditional Owners from across the Pilbara to discuss issues affecting them and their families. The meeting endorsed Pilbara Aboriginal Voice (PAV), the remarkable group borne out of the 4th meeting in 2017. PAV has made significant progress working together to address issues including language preservation, remote housing, the protection of Aboriginal heritage, Constitutional Recognition, health, education, justice, and the welfare of children. This year, the 40-strong group welcomed more than 20 new members, and was officially endorsed and recognised by both Federal and State Aboriginal Affairs Ministers Ben Wyatt and Senator Nigel Scullion and others. PAV was acknowledged as an historic union of language groups working as one voice to call on all levels of government to improve living conditions for Aboriginal West Australians. Today and every day, we recognise Aboriginal Elder, our Deputy Co-Chairperson, Mrs Doris Eaton, for her ongoing inspirational leadership, and great vision for the Pilbara, our Aboriginal Directors, and our dedicated YMAC staff, for their contributions to the Yule River meeting. For more information about Yule River meetings and their history, please see https://lnkd.in/gEbB4J2

To view selected photos from the event, please see: Yule River 2018

 

 

 

Natalie Parker, YMAC Director and Co-chair Pilbara, invites Prime Minister to Yule River

Posted: July 5th, 2018

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Natalie Parker, YMAC Director and Co-chair Pilbara, was interviewed by the Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association (CAAMA) today. She spoke about the community’s concerns for the future of remote housing in WA; due to the lack of a funding agreement between the State and Federal governments. Mrs Parker invited the Premier and Prime Minister to the Yule River bush meeting to address the community’s concerns.

Listen to the interview here: Natalie Parker CAAMA Radio Interview

About CAAMA Radio

CAAMA began operations in 1980 and was the first Aboriginal organisation to be allocated a broadcasting license. CAAMA serves the Aboriginal people of Central Australia through a network of 11 regional radio stations in the Northern Territory. Its  focus is on the social, cultural and economic advancement of Aboriginal peoples. CAAMA promotes and shares Aboriginal culture, language, dance, and music while generating economic and social benefits in the form of training, employment and income generation.

Two native title wins this week!

Posted: April 27th, 2018

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This has been a week of celebration for YMAC’s Traditional Owner stakeholders.

On Monday 23 April 2018, the Wajarri Yamatji community celebrated the recognition of its second determination of native title (called the Part B Determination) by the Federal Court of Australia. This determination follows the Part A Determination that was made by the Federal Court in October 2017 over approximately 68,743 square kilometres of land and waters. The Part B Determination recognised the native title of the Wajarri community over an area of approximately 12,252 square kilometres of land and waters in the Murchison and Gascoyne regions. It includes parts of the Shires of Upper Gascoyne, Murchison, Yalgoo, Meekatharra and Cue. The determination covers unallocated Crown land, Aboriginal-held pastoral leases and a number of Aboriginal reserves and communities.

On Thursday 26 April 2018, the Robe River Kuruma community celebrated recognition of its native title at an on-Country Federal Court hearing at Parlapuuni (Panawonica Hill). The determination area includes the middle Robe, the Bungaroo Valley and the Buckland Ranges. The determination area lies in the Shire of Ashburton in Western Australia’s Pilbara region, with Part B covering approximately 5,720 square kilometres.

Read YMAC’s media releases for more information on both determinations.

To watch the KM Determination Part B video by Ngaarda Media click here. To view the photos click here.

Yule River 2017 Video

Posted: October 30th, 2017

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The 4th Annual on-Country bush Meeting at Yule River meeting place was held on 20-21 September 2017. The community passed three historic resolutions, one of which is the formation of an Independent Advisory Group to act on behalf of Aboriginal Pilbara People during government consultation on issues that impact their families.

 

United Voice for Pilbara Aboriginal People

Posted: September 26th, 2017

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Yule River 2017 Panel

2017 on-Country Bush Meeting Day 2 Panel Q&A

The 4th annual on-Country Bush Meeting at the Yule River meeting place was held on Wednesday 20 and Thursday 21 September 2017. It was a great gathering of Traditional Owners, Members of Parliament (MPs) and government officials.

YMAC uses the on-Country bush meeting to focus on the priority concerns of the Pilbara Aboriginal people. The Yule River meeting brings together community members to discuss legislative changes that impact them, and to gives them the chance to speak directly to Members of Parliament (MP). For some who attend, it is the first time they are given this type of opportunity. Despite the hot (40 degrees), dry, dusty conditions, over 400 people attended both meeting days.

A presentation from Hon. Ben Wyatt MLA (Treasurer, Minister for Finance, and Minister for Aboriginal Affairs) was warmly received by all. Short presentations were also made by Hon. Stephen Dawson MLC (Minister for Environment; Disability Services, and Deputy Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council), Senator Patrick Dodson and Hon. Robin Chapple MLC (Member for Mining and Pastoral Region). An open Q&A session followed the presentations from the MPs, with questions and comments from the crowd focused heavily on language preservation and the poor portrayal of Aboriginal people in the media.

The key resolution from this year’s meeting is that the Traditional Owners will form an independent representative group to give advice to the government on behalf of Pilbara Aboriginal people. This is an historic achievement because, for the first time, the Traditional Owners themselves have set aside their language groups and native title issues to act as a united Voice for the purposes of advancing their agenda with the Government. Other issues that were raised with the MPs were:

  • language preservation;
  • improving education in the Pilbara;
  • improving health services – mental, renal and men’s health;
  • supporting a treaty with the State Government;
  • improving housing services for Aboriginal Pilbara people;
  • strong opposition to the introduction of the Cashless Welfare Card; and
  • Aboriginal heritage protection.

In addition to a State Treaty, the Traditional Owners also wholeheartedly endorse the Statement from the Heart. Collectively, they passed a resolution, “We historically made our voice strong in the Pilbara today. Now we historically join with other First Nations in calling on our WA State and Federal Government to fully commit to a process towards Voice, Treaty and Truth.”

The Annual On-Country Bush Meeting at Yule River is a forum that allows YMAC to drive outcomes from the momentum gained on the ground.

We have already started planning for next year. Please save the dates: 11-12 July 2018.

Country is our mother, the provider and keeper of cultural belongings. Country and Culture go together. You can’t have one without the other.

Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation respectfully acknowledges the Traditional Owners and custodians throughout Western Australia, and on whose Country we work. We acknowledge and respect their deep connection to their lands and waterways.

We honour and pay respect to Elders, and to their ancestors who survived and cared for Country.

Our offices are located on Whadjuk Country, Southern Yamatji Country, Yinggarda Country, Kariyarra Country, and Yawuru Country. We recognise the continuing culture, traditions, stories and living cultures on these lands and commit to building a brighter future together.

Disclaimer: Caution: Please be advised that this website may contain images, voices and names of deceased people.

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