Pilbara Native Title

Wondering if anyone with more knowledge than me knows if this native title claim impacting FMG on Pilbara is going to cause dectorists and leaseholders a problem. Apparently a large area.

Yes I find this a very strange situation considering Twiggy Forrest helps and supports Aboriginals a million times more than anybody else. He has given them Millions of dollars one way or another and they turn around and spit in his face. I would like to know how many he employs. Just my thoughts maybe there is something I am not aware of.

yep...NT claims seriously effect leaseholders

Thought as much, had also heard about Twiggy being great supporting Aboriginals over long term and not through simple cash handouts. Could bugger the economy up that way locking up lot of land. See how this pans out. GL to those relying on living from those leases

not all as it seems with him...I'll say no more!!

You beat me to the punch pilko. A behind the scenes agenda for sure.

It seems like a couple of comments suggesting some secrets, I wish somebody would go all the way and spell it out!!!! I am sure I am not the only one that is curious.
AM I???

If you guys wanna know how Andrew Forrest works you should start studying the DMP website "Warden's Decisions". Twiggy is not what he seems and he has a lot of negative points on which he can be judged. It's too long for here but he pulls every dirty trick in the book to keep prospectors off his ground in addition to screwing the Traditional Owners of the ground from which he is ripping out billions.

I haven't got much time to elaborate at present as I'm in the bush doing some "pushing". I'm forcing myself to have a day off today to get through a million emails. But when I get back to Perth I will do a write up for ya.

W

Young Simmo wrote:Yes I find this a very strange situation considering Twiggy Forrest helps and supports Aboriginals a million times more than anybody else. He has given them Millions of dollars one way or another and they turn around and spit in his face. I would like to know how many he employs. Just my thoughts maybe there is something I am not aware of.

Young Simmo,,,,,if only you really knew the truth. Don't believe all his "paid for" media hype. The argument about what he does for aboriginals has two sides of the story.

Wedgetail, like most people I only know what I see in papers and TV and would welcome some other info but, but people who dissagree with me only talk inuendo, maybe and secrets not facts.

Simmo,

Here's what Forrest did to two prospectors "having a go" at getting an SPL on a pastoral station that he owns - Red Sky Station. Its an extract from a the Reuters International news agency. The article has since been withdrawn due to Reuters concerns regarding the Mining Wardens decision. That decision was later proven to be "wrong in law". But the decision stands because the prospectors didn't know they could appeal to the Mine's Minister AND magistrates are not allowed to change a decision once its been finalised. That can only be done by the appeal process.

Put simply. there is no requirement for the prospectors to obtain NT permission to mark out a mining tenement. The Warden (a magistrate) got it wrong. As APLA President, I complained bitterly about this and the Warden was eventually firmly informed that he was wrong. He has since moved on and back to criminal cases. But it shows that Forrest will do anything to keep prospectors and small explorers off his ground, even using others groups that he himself doesn't agree with, in order to keep people off.

[b]Article starts:[/b]Mining magnate Andrew Forrest has used laws designed to protect indigenous land rights to stop prospectors searching for minerals on his West Australian cattle farms, angering both traditional Aboriginal landowners and mining community members.

While tensions between the competing interests of indigenous landholders, pastoral leaseholders and miners on government-controlled land are common, Forrest's approach represents one of the first known examples of a non-Aboriginal successfully using rights afforded to indigenous people to their own advantage.

Native title is a legal doctrine in Australia that recognises indigenous rights to certain parcels of land.

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Forrest's use of it is not illegal, but it adds to the fractious relationship he has with some indigenous groups. Different groups have raised concerns over Forrest's cattle interests and have battled over land rights with the company he founded and chairs - Fortescue Metals Group, the world's fourth biggest iron ore miner.

A spokeswoman for Forrest said the issue was about complying with mining regulations.

"It is neither a matter of using native title law nor objecting to prospecting," said the spokeswoman.

She said there was support for Forrest's position within the Thalanyji people who hold native title under some of his cattle stations. The farms operated with the utmost respect for the environment, she added.

But Matthew Slack, the head of the Buurabalayji Thalanyji Aboriginal Corp which oversees native title for the indigenous landowners, said it was "pretty rich" for Forrest to use rights designed to protect indigenous interests.

Thalanyji were also concerned about cattle numbers and water use at Forrest's 2,400 square km (927 sq mile) Minderoo pastoral lease in Western Australia's Pilbara district, he said.

"We are disgusted with Forrest and have been for some time. Slack said. "Our dreamtime creatures can't survive because the river is so low."

RULING SURPRISES

On May 31, 2016, two small prospectors lodged applications to search for minerals on Uaroo Station, where Forrest holds a similarly sized pastoral lease, after physically marking out the territory with pegs.

Slack said Thalanyji had given the prospectors permission to be on that land.

But before the government approved the prospecting licences, a company called Red Sky Stations lodged an objection in the state's Warden's Court, where mining-related disputes are held.

Red Sky is one of several companies that represent Forrest's pastoral interests, a Reuters review of court and company documents found.

Red Sky successfully argued the prospectors had not sought a specific permit from Thalanyji required to mark out the land and their applications were rejected in a February decision.

The ruling caught Thalanyji by surprise.

"If we'd been more aware, we would've had input into the proceedings," Slack said.

Attempts to contact the two prospectors were unsuccessful.

While the prospectors could re-start the process, the licence process has been frustrated and delayed.

The move comes shortly after a separate analysis by Reuters found Forrest had covered large sections of his cattle stations with mining and exploration applications by his own companies.

Forrest said his applications were for bone fide exploration and mining, denying suggestions it was a tactic to block rivals gaining access.

INDIGENOUS TIES

Forrest was one of Australia's most prolific mining prospectors in the 2000s when he founded and built Fortescue, pressuring rivals to release land they weren't actively exploring in the Pilbara, the world's biggest iron ore precinct.

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Add to this the stunt he pulled on his old family station, Minderoo, to keep other prospectors off his cattle station. A well known case and a damned disgrace of a big, rich, powerful man pissing all over the small guy. Plus the man was recently named or nominated for "Australian of the Year". That was a real slap in the face from a bloke that is refusing to pay the Traditional Owners (TO), that have won their case in court, any form of compensation other than jobs. His take on that is the the TOs aren't capable of handling money so only HE will decide on how they get it!! That's smug superiority from a guy that makes his billions from the land that is legally owned by the TO's and then gives 250 million of it to other charities across the world whlist giving them nothing in the same form - cash.

And people tell me he's a hero!! Gimme a break!

WOW