Federation interim CEO Kaley Nicholson joined ABC Wimmera’s Breakfast radio program to discuss safeguarding Traditional Owners’ rights in the renewable energy transition.
Kaley Nicholson
At the moment what’s happening is a, you know, a series of conversations and promises that have been made to ensure that there’s legislation in place to include Traditional Owners at the table around these very important mines, and what we’re seeing is actually government approving mines and giving the green light without the legislation in place and that’s a real issue.
Grace Marshall
And the State of Victoria has had significant windfall from mining, and as far as we’re aware they’ve not shared any of that money with Traditional Owner groups, is that correct?
Kaley Nicholson
Yeah, that’s exactly right. You know, Government has made billions of dollars over the years, and is set to earn billions of dollars more and all the while this is off, you know, essentially what was stolen land through colonisation. The legislation needs to be put in place as soon as possible to ensure that this wrong of the past can be righted and that Traditional Owners have a fair and equitable benefit from what is essentially going to be development or destruction across the entire state.
Grace Marshall
Do you think it’s contradictory as we work towards Treaty in Victoria to then be mining on traditional Country and not talking with Traditional Owner groups about that mining and those projects?
Kaley Nicholson
Yeah, I think at the moment, you know, there’s a lot of conversation but without the legislation in place that, you know, essentially it all just relies on goodwill and so, you know, if I were to take a cynical view it would seem as though Government’s trying to have their cake and eat it too. We’re calling on the Government to cease issuing licences until the legislation is in place so that fair and equitable negotiations and agreements can be put in place and made.
