News

It was like a scene from a Fellini movie. The setting is a bleak modernist concrete and bitumen tangle intruding into an ancient landscape. The principal characters are a gaggle of self-satisfied politicians performing a ritual with hardly an elector (certainly not a non-Labor one) in sight. But now Fellini strikes. Two men are arguing about their conflicting rights to the once-tribal land on which a freeway behind them has been built. And, watching, one old school news reporter who’s been around long enough to understand the significance of what’s unfolding before him.

Federal Agriculture Minister Murray Watt has become the latest Albanese Government Cabinet Minister to distance himself from WA’s contentious Aboriginal heritage laws.
In Perth for a meeting of State and Territory agriculture ministers, Mr Watt called time on his press conference on Wednesday amid a flurry of questions about the refreshed Act.
The new regime has caused particular angst and confusion among growers and primary producers who in some cases are now required to consult more closely with local knowledge holders prior to making major changes to or additions to their properties.

Royal Flying Doctor Service (South Eastern Section) Chief Executive Officer Greg Sam said the $4 million boost for NSW comes at a “challenging” time in its history as the RFDS had played a critical role delivering essential healthcare and more than 32,000 Covid vaccinations to remote and vulnerable communities during the pandemic“. Since then, the RFDS has continued to deliver high quality care to rural and remote NSW communities, whilst navigating increasingly difficult economic conditions and rising costs,” Mr Sam said.The $4 million donation in Queensland will contribute to the fit-out of a new Beechcraft King Air 360 aircraft and operations at its Brisbane base which is about to be redeveloped. The Rinehart Medical Foundation also provided a critical $6 million donation to the RFDS at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. The contribution follows Mrs Rinehart’s $5 million gift last week to the Sydney Childrens’ Hospitals Foundation.

Western Australian Transport Minister Rita Saffioti, who is also Deputy Premier, and other officials were preparing to cut the ribbon at the new stretch of the $232million Mitchell Freeway, in Perth, on Sunday. A smoking ceremony had been organised for the event with Whadjak Noongar man Steve Jacobs appointed the honour of carrying it out. The ceremony was abruptly interrupted when another Indigenous man gatecrashed the event with an argument ensuing over who had the right to conduct it. Australia’s richest woman Gina Rinehart in June launched a scathing attack on the legislation, claiming it cause havoc. She predicted the new regulations will cause ‘unintended consequences’, with even the addition of a granny flat to a property being subject to delays. ‘Many are concerned that some elements of this Act have not been consulted on broadly enough,’ Ms Rinehart said in a Brisbane speech. ‘There is a risk of unintended consequences, even property developers are raising concerns, not just the mining industry. ‘These unintended consequences could extend further too, with all West Australians who own a block larger than 1100sq/m needing to be aware of their potential obligations under the Act.

10 July 2023.

On Saturday, Geraldton Mayor Shane Van Styn claimed on his Facebook page the tree-planting event at Wonthella Bush Reserve was “shut down” because of the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act, which came into effect on July 1. Mr Van Styn told The West Australian on Sunday the city had checked online beforehand for Aboriginal heritage at the site and found no problems, but halted the event after one of the local traditional owners turned up and said the reserve was a significant site for her family. However, a member of the family told The West Australian she was not concerned about the planting of the trees but rather what she believed was the renaming of the land to honour Queen Elizabeth II.

9 July 2023.

Healthcare for Australians living in rural and remote areas will be given a $16m lift thanks to donations to the Royal Flying Doctors from Australia’s richest person, Gina Rinehart. The Rinehart Medical Foundation and Hancock Prospecting will provide major cash injections to the NSW, Queensland and Western Australian sectors of the 95-year-old organisation which relies on donations to fund a third of the healthcare it provides. Royal Flying Doctor Service (South Eastern Section) Chief Executive Officer Greg Sam said the $4m boost for NSW comes at a “challenging” time in its history as the RFDS had played a critical role delivering essential healthcare and more than 32,000 Covid vaccinations to remote and vulnerable communities during the pandemic.

Health care for Australians living in rural and remote areas will be given a $16m lift thanks to donations to the Royal Flying Doctor from Australia’s richest person, Gina Rinehart. The Rinehart Medical Foundation and Hancock Prospecting will give major cash boosts to the Queensland, NSW and WA sectors of the 95-year-old organisation, which relies on donations to fund a third of the health care it provides. “The multimillion-dollar gift will help ensure that all Queenslanders – no matter where they live, work and play across the state – can feel safe in knowing that they are connected to the best medical care available.” The RFDS said that Mrs Rinehart’s family association with the organisation went back to the 1950s when her mother, Hope Hancock, used to host fundraisers at her home.

Iron ore magnate Gina Rinehart has donated $8 million to the Royal Flying Doctor Service to buy a state-of-the-art aircraft that will help save lives in the most isolated corners of the State. The Rinehart Medical Foundation and Roy Hill will contribute $4 million each to buy and fund an aeromedical fit-out of a PC12 NGX plane in what is one of the most significant donations to the RFDS. Last month, Ms Rinehart was crowned Western Australian on the Year not only for her contribution to WA’s mining and agricultural sectors but for her generosity to various medical and health organisations. RFDS Western Operations chief executive Judith Barker said the organisation had a $90 million program to replace 12 planes by 2030. Ms Barker said the RFDS had a long association with Ms Rinehart and her mother, Hope Hancock. “We’re really grateful for the support that we get from her, Roy Hill and the foundation who recognise that the RFDS is there to support them and their endeavours in rural or remote areas,” she said.

Hancock Prospecting group chief executive Garry Korte has called for magnetite ore to be carved out of the Federal Government’s safeguard mechanism as he warns of “unintended consequences” of the policy. Billionaire Gina Rinehart’s company is concerned that magnetite iron ore is not distinguished from hematite under the Government’s safeguard mechanism despite its potential to help the steel industry lower emissions. Mr Korte said the creation of a separate magnetite iron ore variable under the safeguard mechanism was critical to encourage investment in magnetite in Australia. “Without (the variable), the safeguard mechanism will result in the offshoring of investment and reduction in value-add opportunities in Australia,” he told The West Australian.