The Government's In-Principle Offer
The Western Australian Government's in-principle offer for the resolution of all South West native title claims includes:
Traditional Ownership Recognition
The Noongar people will be recognised as the original inhabitants and Traditional Owners of the South West of Western Australia through an Act of Parliament.
Financial contribution to Investment Trust
The Government will establish an Investment Trust fund and make substantial annual payments into this fund for 10 years. This fund will not be drawn down in the first 10 years in order to build a sustainable economic base for Noongar governance, land management and community development.
Financial contribution to administration of Governance Structure
The Government will make annual payments over 10 years for the development and operation of a Noongar governance structure and community programs. The Noongar governance structure will be comprised of:
- a central Noongar administration and coordinating body
- six regional Noongar councils with a local office and administration
- a Noongar trust managing the assets and land arising from the South West Settlement. The annual funding will cease after 10 years and will be replaced by funds drawn down from the Investment Trust fund.
Noongar Land Estate
The Government will transfer land into a Noongar Land Estate for social, cultural and economic use. The ILUAs will provide for:
- the transfer of identified parcels of land as soon as practicable following the execution of the ILUAs; and
- a process for identifying and transferring further parcels of land to be transferred in subsequent years
Joint Management of the Conservation Estate and Access to other State Lands
The Government will support the Department of Environment and Conservation and the Noongars entering into joint management agreements for the management of identified areas of the conservation estate in the South West region and prescribed terms of Noongar access to certain other State lands for customary activities.
Noongar Cultural Heritage Protocol
The parties will adopt heritage protocols to streamline the current regime which will be in accordance with the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 (WA) and will:
- improve clarity about government planning and cultural heritage protection
- encourage the registration of heritage sites
- ensure the right people for different parts of the South West can be identified
- ensure that, whilst recognising that not all Indigenous people with knowledge about Noongar cultural heritage will be bound by the ILUAs, the heritage protocols will have the widest possible reach within the indigenous community.
Noongar Cultural Interpretative Centre
A metropolitan-based Noongar Cultural Interpretative Centre will be developed to strengthen understanding of Noongar history and culture within the wider Western Australian community.
Further Information
Contact Us
WA Government agencies and officers are encouraged to contact us. Alternatively, useful information can be found on the websites of the: