WA Minister throws a left hook at Native Title
Within days of handballing Ministerial responsibility for Native Title back to the Premier, the WA Treasurer and Minister for Housing, Troy Buswell, has thrown a left hook at Aboriginal people by suggesting Native Title and heritage issues are holding up the provision of housing in remote communities.
Stephen Hall, the Chairperson of Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation in WA said: “The Minister is using the disadvantage faced by Aboriginal people in relation to the provision of housing to undermine their Native Title rights. This is sneaky politics that seeks to avoid negotiation by driving a truck through it. It seems the Minister wants to go back to a time when ‘terra nullius’ was the basis that government operated on. It is interventionist at its worst.”
This also follows recent parliamentary debate on the appointment of Peter Conran as the Director of Department of The Premier And Cabinet; Conran was John Howard’s principal advisor on Native Title.
“After Buswell saying no thanks to Premier Colin Barnett on responsibility for Native Title; next thing you know he is sinking in the boot in relation to Native Title claims. Buswell’s logic on this is consistent with the logic behind the Northern Territory Intervention. It’s also pretty ironic that this comes immediately after a man described in parliament last week as “a right-wing native title warrior” is made responsible for the administration of Government in WA.” said Mr Hall
