Yorta Yorta or Bangerang?
A RURAL political group has criticised local politicians for failing to give recognition to the native Bangerang people.
Country Alliance spokesman, Steve Threlfall claims that it is an issue about recognition of the rights of the correct traditional owners.
Mr Threlfall has criticised local Liberal and National politicians, claiming that local members including Wendy Lovell, Damian Drum and Peter Walsh had promised the Bangerang people recognition as traditional owners of public lands in northern Victoria but have done nothing.
The previous Bracks Labour Government in 2004 entered into an agreement with the Yorta Yorta people over this land including the Barmah State Park and other areas along the Murray and Goulburn Rivers.
However, Mr Threlfall said the Bangerang people were the traditional owners of most of the affected land.
"This is not a question of the recognition of the rights of traditional owners, it is about recognition of the rights of the correct traditional owners," he said.
The Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council determines which groups will be registered as Registered Aboriginal Parties (RAPS) under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006.
It currently recognises nine Aboriginal groups in Victoria, including the Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation (YYNAC).
The Bangerang Culture Centre Co-operative (BCC) was rejected in 2007 after proposing custodianship of a large region of the Goulburn Valley area.
The Victorian Aboriginal Council said both the YYNAC and the BCC could demonstrate traditional links with the ability to undertake cultural heritage responsibilities.
The Environmental and Natural Resources Committee will inquire the establishment and effectiveness of RAPS by September this year.
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Jeanette Powell said she acknowledged that the Bangerang people need to be appropriately recognised and looks forward to the views of the inquiry on how this might most appropriately be achieved.
"This inquiry will give all interested parties an opportunity to raise their concerns and will provide the evidence-base for understanding and addressing the concerns raised," Ms Powell said.
Member for Northern Victoria, Damian Drum said that when the legislation was introduced by the previous government, the Liberals/Nationals questioned whether more than one group had a right to cultural heritage and custodianship.
"There's no problem with having two custodians of the area," he said.
Mr Drum said when the Liberal/Nationals were in opposition they were looking to have the Bangerang people added to the area.
"We hope it can be done," Mr Drum said.
However, the council concluded that the two groups are from the same traditional ancestors and that it would not be appropriate to appoint two RAPS in this instance.
The native title claim by the Yorta Yorta was rejected by the Federal and High Courts of Australia in 1995.
Elder Sandy Atkinson said the claim was rejected because 99 per cent of the Yorta Yorta people don't come from the area.
The Bangerang Culture Centre website said 7000 Aboriginal people live in the Goulburn Murray region and represent the largest population of Aboriginal people in Victoria.
Mr Atkinson said he didn't know why Yorta Yorta has had more power than the Bangerang people but noted that when the Bracks government set up the RAPS system it gave them the power to discriminate against the Bangerang people.
When asked about Mr Threlfall's statements about the local Liberal and Nationals, Mr Atkinson said, "While they were in opposition they said they would change the legislation and they've been in 12 months and they haven't done a thing about it."
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