It reopened its doors in June under emergency powers from the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations that enabled it to operate with a quorum of three directors and an expert director.
Whadjuk Aboriginal Corporation chief executive Leon Ruri.
The agreement lapses in December. A Whadjuk members’ meeting will be held in September.
Whadjuk Aboriginal Corporation is one of six Aboriginal regional bodies set up to distribute benefits from $50 million in annual trust payments under the state’s historic South West Native Title Settlement.
The settlement, in the form of six Indigenous Land Use Agreements, was negotiated between the Noongar people and the WA government, covers 200,000 square kilometres of the south-west region and came into effect in 2021.
Worth a total of $1.3 billion, the settlement is regarded as the most comprehensive native title agreement negotiated so far in Australia.
Among WAC’s clients is Perth Airport, which is planning a $2.5 billion third runway project that requires major cultural heritage assessments under WA law to avoid disturbing significant sites.
The process includes requirements for heritage “monitors” to attend sites during construction.
Ruri told this masthead that crucial section 18 clauses awarded to the airport authority for heritage land earmarked for the third runway would not be affected.
He said WAC “will continue to engage on sensitive heritage issues” and develop a working relationship with Perth Airport.
“I am in direct contact with Perth Airport and there should be no disruption,” he said.
Ruri said WAC would be seeking “direct employment pathways for Whadjuk members”, including training and appointment of its own team of heritage monitors.
Ruri said he recently met with former contractor SWALS.
“We have had respectful conversations about ending the relationship in its current form to both sides’ satisfaction,” he said.
This masthead contacted SWALS but was told they had no comment.
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