Gerry Georgatos
Many of the Swan Valley Nyungah Community are still homeless after the government closed their community in Lockridge, Perth in 2003. Recently, Elder Herbert Bropho led a reclamation of the site for his peoples and he has refused to leave.
The site still maintains the rammed earth and mud houses which were home to many people however the state government announced that it is considering turning the heritage listed site into a "Nyoongar Park".
Former resident Abraham Kickett who has remained homeless since 2003 said the government was manipulating the park theme to "squash" the claim of residential rights by Swan Valley Nyungah members at Lockridge.
The state government said that the Lockridge site is inside a parcel of State-owned land earmarked for a bushy metropolitan park with a focus on Indigenous culture.
State Cabinet agreed on a concept for the 200ha park - Korndin Kulluch (place of reconciliation) - near Lockridge after claiming a year-long consultation with Nyoongar families with links to the area however it has not consulted with the Swan Valley Nyungahs.
A brief community consultation - 8 weeks - has commenced. Both major political parties have pledged to never re-open the site for residential living by the SVNC however Mr Bropho said he will not be leaving the site and that it has been reclaimed - he said he will not be moved. The SVNC site covers 35ha of the proposed 200ha "Nyoongar Park" concept.
The 200ha park maybe signed over to the South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council for joint management as part of the one billion dollars Nyoongar Native Title deal proposal.
State planning minister John Day said the park proposal will be a significant act of reconciliation with Aboriginal people protecting their spiritual and ancestral connections.
Mr Bropho said the proposal promises homelessness and the breaking of Aboriginal lives.
Comments
Press release from Swan Valley Nyungah Community
PRESS RELEASE TUESDAY 29 MAY 2012
LOCKRIDGE CAMPSITE RAID AND RECONCILIATION PLAN
On the same day the State Government released the Bennett Brook Reconciliation Plan the traditional owners camping at Lockridge were raided by police and threatened with arrest.
If this is the State Government’s idea of Reconciliation we don’t want it.
This Reconciliation Plan should be put on hold because our native title claim is still in the Federal Court.
The State Government should respect the proceedings of the Federal Court. We are all witnesses in these proceedings and we want a chance to give our evidence, free from bullying and intimidation.
The State Planning Commission has called us trespassers, but while our native title claim is still before the Federal Court we have a lawful reason to be there and exercise our rights and interests under Commonwealth law.
We are not trespassers, we are native title holders and traditional owners. Our Ancestors have camped on this land since the beginning of time.
The State Planning Commission are supposed to be managers and caretakers of the Lockridge Camps, but for years they have stood by while our Homes were vandalised and have done nothing to care for our property.
This State Government has continued to attack us and has ignored what we about, protecting our Culture, protecting our Sites, protecting our Land, and we have a right to stay there and make sure the land is properly looked after.
The State Government and the media have tried to say we are bad people, and they have turned a blind eye to the Inquiry by Peter Foss which uncovered some of the lies and shady dealings which led to us being kicked out in 2003.
Native title is not dead yet, it hasn’t been extinguished. But it will be finished if those jackies at SWALSC give in to the deal.
This is the struggle and the fight of our Ancestors and our Grandparents and our parents. A lot of our people have died fighting for what is our birthright.
Other people haven’t got so much to lose as our Family. This is our Connection.
If that land goes all those years of suffering and hardship and campaigning for better living conditions will be gone.
People out there don’t know what our Family has been through, they haven’t stood in our shoes so who has the right to be judge and jury. We worked hard to get that community and we will never give up until we get back what belongs to us.
Bella Bropho, Spokesperson, Swan Valley Nyungah Community 0467 329 047