ABORIGINAL communities in the Swan Hill region have taken a significant step towards independence and cultural heritage control by formally establishing three corporate bodies.
On Tuesday, the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations approved separate incorporation applications from the Wamba Wamba, Barapa Barapa and Wadi Wadi Aboriginal Corporations.
All three corporations include Australian first peoples whose country falls within or near the Swan Hill municipality.
The incorporations pave the way for Native Title claims to be established in the region and would allow the formation of Registered Aboriginal Parties — two key steps in giving local Indigenous people direct control over cultural heritage matters in the region.
As stated in the corporation’s rule book however, the main objective of each organisation is to improve the health and wellbeing of its people.
Gourmjanyuk Clan member Gary Murray said the approvals were good news for the entire community.
“I’m very pleased about the three corporations being approved,” he said.
“It has taken us close to 15 years, but it is better late than never.
“I hope we can now go forward and seek to settle our Native Title claims.”
Although the three corporations will act as separate entities representing different peoples, Mr Murray said it was likely the three groups would work together on relevant economic projects and cultural matters.
For more on this story, see Friday’s edition of The Guardian
(15/02/13).
