MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Australia will introduce a new legal framework to protect Aboriginal cultural heritage, after mining standards were overhauled following Rio Tinto’s destruction of an Aboriginal prehistoric site to expand its mines in iron ore, Australia’s environment minister announced on Thursday.
The government has accepted seven of the eight recommendations made following the investigation into the destruction of the Juukan Gorge cave, located in Western Australia, a historically and culturally important site, Tanya Plibersek told parliament.
“This was not an isolated mistake, or an example of a dishonest company. What is clear is that our system is not working,” she added, indicating that under the laws in force, the destruction of the site was legal.
The destruction of the caves had caused a stir in Australia, and forced the president of Rio Tinto to retire and several leaders of the mining group to resign.
Juukan Gorge Cave was a sacred Aboriginal site. It showed signs of human occupation dating back 46,000 years.
The traditional owners of the site, the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura communities, expressed their anger and disappointment, saying they had not been consulted by the Australian government before it made its decision.
“It all started with the destruction of our cultural heritage, everyone goes around telling us how sorry they are, but only actions matter,” the communities said in a statement.
“We have experienced the desolation and we know what must be done,” he added.
(Report Melanie Burton; French version Camille Raynaud)
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