Media Release - Chairperson, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Western Desert Lands Aboriginal Corporation (Jamukurnu-Yapalikunu) (WDLAC) 8 August 2014 In a joint statement today, the WDLAC Chairperson Brian Samson and CEO, Noel Whitehead announced that in view of the allegations recently reported in the Fairfax media, that a highly respected Senior Counsel, Mr Peter Quinlan SC had been engaged to review and inquire into the matters related to the allegations made against WDLAC, the Board, exstaff and staff. Mr Quinlan is currently President of Western Australian Bar Association and has significant experience in the areas of native title and administrative inquiries. He will be assisted by another experienced barrister Mr Anthony Papamatheos. The brief of Mr Quinlan will be wide ranging to incorporate all the allegations made in the Fairfax media. Mr Whitehead said that given the allegations he considered the review and inquiry of the consultative and decision making processes for the Reward Minerals Limited (Reward) and Cameco Australia Limited (Cameco) Indigenous Land Use Agreements (ILUA’s) necessary to ensure WDLAC remains, as it has been, transparent and accountable. Mr Whitehead also stated that some allegations had been made by ex-staff that WDLAC Board members and staff had received secret payments for being involved in the negotiation of the Reward ILUA. These allegations are rejected out of hand. “Mr Quinlan SC, will be given full and unfettered access to relevant documentation and to WDLAC staff, the WDLAC Board and officers in relation to the issues and will report to the WDLAC Board accordingly. Any persons having information or evidence to support any allegations of impropriety are welcome to provide that material to Mr Quinlan to be considered as part of the inquiry, The WDLAC Chairperson, Brian Samson, said “with these allegations in the Public arena, the WDLAC Board has decided to have them reviewed by Senior Counsel. We have nothing to hide or be afraid of, in fact we welcome the review and inquiry”. “In late June 2014 we were made aware that Fairfax media had been purportedly provided with information by vested interest groups, a minority of Martu People and other people who have an axe to grind with all the excellent work WDLAC is generating”. Mr Samson said that the Board rejected all of the allegations made, including the reported sum of fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) gone missing, secret and clandestine payments made as part of the Reward ILUA negotiation and the purported inadequate and culturally inappropriate approval and decision making processes for both the Reward and Cameco ILUA’s. Mr Samson said it was a sad day for Martu People that vested interest groups, administered by non-Martu ideologues, some ex-staff and a “small minority” of Martu People who are 4 Clive Street West Perth WA 6005 PO Box 331 West Perth 6872 P (08) 9486 9797 F (08) 9486 9798 wdlac.au Page | 2 of 2 ICN4207 WDLAC is the Prescribed Body Corporate for the Martu people being used to raise these allegations about the Board, staff and question the integrity of the rigorous and transparent Native Tile processes within WDLAC”. “We know the organisations and people involved, which includes politicians, all of whom are anti-development and want to, in effect, lock up Martu Country. This would commit my People to living in third world conditions for generations to come. We no longer want to be on welfare with the only programmes on Martu Country primarily being Government funded. We want to become part of the mainstream economy, with access to employment, training and contracting opportunities. Mr Whitehead said he welcomed the Board’s decision to engage an independent Senior Counsel to review and inquire into all aspects of the allegations. “I have full confidence in the independence and integrity of the review and inquiry process”. Mr Whitehead said that “having been audited in 2013 on every aspect of the allegations made by three (3) separate and independent audits, the question that needs to be asked is what are the motives behind this? It certainly calls into question the honesty and integrity of the entities and particularly individuals who are behind this”. Mr Quinlan SC will report to the Board directly when the review/inquiry is finalised. Both Mr Quinlan SC, in particular, and Mr Papamatheos are highly experienced barristers in their fields. The independence and integrity of the review/inquiry was an absolute pre-condition and necessity for their accepting the engagement. “For these allegations to remain in the public domain without a proper process of review and inquiry will only cast doubt of the integrity of WDLAC and the Martu People, which is unacceptable”. Both Mr Samson and Mr Whitehead said that the Board will not allow the distraction to stop the work of commencing to implement the fundamentals to bring about positive generational change for the Martu People in the Western Desert. “We have full confidence in WDLAC, the Board and its dedicated staff in terms of any allegations of impropriety”. Media Contact: Dianne Bain - Bain Media (08) 6180 3811 Noel Whitehead - WDLAC (08) 9486 9797
Posted on: Sun, 10 Aug 2014 02:50:42 +0000
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015