WGAR News: Royal Commission sought for Human Rights issues on APY Lands: Coober Pedy Regional Times

Newsletter date: 27 October 2013

Contents:

* Coober Pedy Regional Times: Royal Commission sought for Human Rights issues on APY Lands
* Background to Income Management for APY Lands in South Australia

* ABC News: Arabunna elder Kevin Buzzacott loses legal fight against Olympic Dam mine expansion
* The Australian: Aboriginal elder loses bid to block $30bn Olympic Dam mine expansion
* Environmental Defenders Office (SA) Inc: Federal Court challenge to Olympic Dam approval
* Background to expansion of Olympic Dam mine challenge (South Australia)

* COOBER PEDY REGIONAL TIMES: ROYAL COMMISSION SOUGHT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES ON APY LANDS

- Letter

Coober Pedy Regional Times: Royal Commission sought for Human Rights issues on APY Lands
http://cooberpedyregionaltimes.wordpress.com/2013/10/16/royal-commission...
16 Oct 13: "For the URGENT Attention of the Members of the Aboriginal Lands Parliamentary Standing Committee
Dear Members
I am writing to you yet again with grave concerns re my country and people on the APY Lands. So much has happened and still is happening that I find it difficult to know where to begin. My people are suffering pitifully at the hands of the Minister, bureaucrats, APY Administration and Chair. Their voice does not get heard. They are treated as a joke. And all the while Anangu’s rights are being signed away and diminishing it seems by the day and it would appear that there is nothing we can do about it."

* BACKGROUND TO INCOME MANAGEMENT FOR APY LANDS IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA:

APY Lands: Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands (remote N-W of South Australia)

Last updated: 29 April 2013

http://indymedia.org.au/2012/09/14/background-to-income-management-for-a...

* ABC NEWS: ARABUNNA ELDER KEVIN BUZZACOTT LOSES LEGAL FIGHT AGAINST OLYMPIC DAM MINE EXPANSION

- News

ABC News: Arabunna elder Kevin Buzzacott loses legal fight against Olympic Dam mine expansion
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-09/elder-loses-legal-fight-against-ol...
9 Oct 13: "The full bench of the Federal Court has dismissed a challenge by an Aboriginal elder to the proposed expansion of mining at outback Olympic Dam. Kevin Buzzacott of the Arabunna people appealed to the full bench after losing a Federal Court case last year. He argued the expansion was approved without proper consideration of the long-term environmental impact. But three judges ruled that lawyers for Mr Buzzacott failed to make out the grounds for appeal, backing the opinion of the primary judge."

* THE AUSTRALIAN: ABORIGINAL ELDER LOSES BID TO BLOCK $30BN OLYMPIC DAM MINE EXPANSION

- News

The Australian: Aboriginal elder loses bid to block $30bn Olympic Dam mine expansion
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/aboriginal-elder-...
8 Oct 13: "AN Aboriginal elder has lost a protracted court bid to block the $30 billion expansion to the Olympic Dam copper, uranium and gold mine in South Australia. Kevin Buzzacott first took his case to the Federal Court in early 2012, claiming then federal Environment Minister Tony Burke had not given enough consideration to several issues before granting approval. Mr Buzzacott's appeal to the full court of the Federal Court was prompted when a single judge dismissed an initial action. But the full court also dismissed his appeal today, ... " AAP

* ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENDERS OFFICE (SA) INC: FEDERAL COURT CHALLENGE TO OLYMPIC DAM APPROVAL

- Media Release

Environmental Defenders Office (SA) Inc: Federal Court challenge to Olympic Dam approval
EDO: http://www.edo.org.au/edosa/files/media_release_olympic_dam_expansion.pdf
21 Feb 12: "Mr Kevin Buzzacott has filed an application in the Federal Court challenging the Commonwealth Environment Minister's approval of the Olympic Dam expansion. He is represented by the Environmental Defender’s Office (SA) Inc (EDO) in those proceedings.
Mr Buzzacott (known as Uncle Kevin) is an Aboriginal Elder of the Arabunna Nation in Northern South Australia, who is concerned about the impacts of the mine on the environment. The EDO is a community legal centre that specialises in public interest environmental law."

See:

EDO Casework: Judicial Review - Olympic Dam Expansion
http://www.edo.org.au/edosa/casework

* BACKGROUND TO EXPANSION OF OLYMPIC DAM MINE CHALLENGE (SOUTH AUSTRALIA):

Last updated: 5 December 2012

http://indymedia.org.au/2012/05/13/background-to-expansion-of-olympic-da...

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WGAR: Working Group for Aboriginal Rights (Australia)

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