❓ Hon Robin Chapple questions the Minister for Indigenous Affairs regarding alleged pressure from FMG on anthropologists to alter reports. The Minister responds skeptically, promising to investigate but questioning the validity of the claims based on a newspaper article.
AnsweredQoN 814Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
ANTHROPOLOGY AND
ARCHAEOLOGY REPORTS — FORTESCUE METALS GROUP
814. Hon ROBIN CHAPPLE to the Minister for Indigenous
Affairs:
I have provided the minister with a copy of an article. I
refer to the article in The Australian dated Wednesday, 17 October 2012, ''Miner tried to fudge study:
anthropologist''. In August last year, anthropologist Sue Singleton wrote
to the WA register of Aboriginal sites about Fortescue Metals Group's
threat to withhold payment unless she deleted key sections of a report about
the Firetail area.
(1) Given the
new incident that has occurred, what action can or will the minister now take
against FMG to ensure that it stops demanding anthropologists and
archaeologists amend sections of their reports to facilitate the mining desires
of FMG?
(2) Will the
minister provide some form of protection to anthropologists and archaeologists
being pressured by the minerals industry to falsify reports?
ARCHAEOLOGY REPORTS — FORTESCUE METALS GROUP
814. Hon ROBIN CHAPPLE to the Minister for Indigenous
Affairs:
I have provided the minister with a copy of an article. I
refer to the article in The Australian dated Wednesday, 17 October 2012, ''Miner tried to fudge study:
anthropologist''. In August last year, anthropologist Sue Singleton wrote
to the WA register of Aboriginal sites about Fortescue Metals Group's
threat to withhold payment unless she deleted key sections of a report about
the Firetail area.
(1) Given the
new incident that has occurred, what action can or will the minister now take
against FMG to ensure that it stops demanding anthropologists and
archaeologists amend sections of their reports to facilitate the mining desires
of FMG?
(2) Will the
minister provide some form of protection to anthropologists and archaeologists
being pressured by the minerals industry to falsify reports?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for the question.
(1)–(2)
Firstly, we are actually talking about a claim from someone in a newspaper, so
to suggest that it is fact is debatable.
Hon Robin Chapple : The article actually admits that it is
fact.
Hon PETER COLLIER : Sorry; can I just finish? We are talking
about a claim in a newspaper. I will have a look at it; I have no problems
there whatsoever.
When we are talking
about ''protection to anthropologists and archaeologists'', I am
sorry, I do not actually know what the member means by that element of the
question. Are they being threatened?
Hon Robin Chapple : Yes.
Hon PETER COLLIER : Again, it is a generalisation; there are
no facts.
Hon Robin Chapple : It's all legal advice; it's
in the article. I provided you with the article.
Hon PETER COLLIER : I know, but with all due respect to the
honourable member, this is a newspaper article. That does not for a moment
suggest that it is accurate.
Several members
interjected.
Hon PETER COLLIER : I beg your pardon?
Several members
interjected.
The PRESIDENT : Order!
Hon PETER COLLIER : I am not diminishing or showing disrespect
to the gentleman involved at all.
Several members
interjected.
Hon PETER COLLIER : I am not. All I am saying is that this is
a claim in a newspaper.
Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : You should be across it!
Hon PETER COLLIER : It is a claim in a newspaper. What I will
say is —
Several members
interjected.
Hon PETER COLLIER : This is just ludicrous! Should I go out
there now and make a uniform decision based upon an article in a newspaper? Is
that how members opposite run government?
Several members
interjected.
Hon PETER COLLIER : Is it? Of course it is not!
Several members interjected.
The PRESIDENT : Order! Can we
move on from the debate and hear the answer?
Hon PETER COLLIER : I have given my answer. What I said is
that I will look into it. But to suggest that this is watertight and is
absolutely accurate, I am not prepared to accept that. As I have said, I will
look into the incident and I will look into the claims. In terms of protection —
Hon Ken Travers : You're like a mirror ball, aren't
you?
Hon PETER COLLIER : Hon Ken Travers has not asked the
question.
Hon Ken Travers : I'm hearing the answer, though!
Hon PETER COLLIER : Do you mind?
With regard to the second part of the question, what I will say is that
I am not quite sure what the member means by ''protection to
anthropologists''. I am certainly not aware of these widespread threats
against anthropologists; I am simply not. But, again, I will check with the
Department of Indigenous Affairs and see whether it is aware of any issue,
whether it is a generalised issue and whether they have had complaints from
anthropologists. Certainly, it has not come across my desk.
(1)–(2)
Firstly, we are actually talking about a claim from someone in a newspaper, so
to suggest that it is fact is debatable.
Hon Robin Chapple : The article actually admits that it is
fact.
Hon PETER COLLIER : Sorry; can I just finish? We are talking
about a claim in a newspaper. I will have a look at it; I have no problems
there whatsoever.
When we are talking
about ''protection to anthropologists and archaeologists'', I am
sorry, I do not actually know what the member means by that element of the
question. Are they being threatened?
Hon Robin Chapple : Yes.
Hon PETER COLLIER : Again, it is a generalisation; there are
no facts.
Hon Robin Chapple : It's all legal advice; it's
in the article. I provided you with the article.
Hon PETER COLLIER : I know, but with all due respect to the
honourable member, this is a newspaper article. That does not for a moment
suggest that it is accurate.
Several members
interjected.
Hon PETER COLLIER : I beg your pardon?
Several members
interjected.
The PRESIDENT : Order!
Hon PETER COLLIER : I am not diminishing or showing disrespect
to the gentleman involved at all.
Several members
interjected.
Hon PETER COLLIER : I am not. All I am saying is that this is
a claim in a newspaper.
Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich : You should be across it!
Hon PETER COLLIER : It is a claim in a newspaper. What I will
say is —
Several members
interjected.
Hon PETER COLLIER : This is just ludicrous! Should I go out
there now and make a uniform decision based upon an article in a newspaper? Is
that how members opposite run government?
Several members
interjected.
Hon PETER COLLIER : Is it? Of course it is not!
Several members interjected.
The PRESIDENT : Order! Can we
move on from the debate and hear the answer?
Hon PETER COLLIER : I have given my answer. What I said is
that I will look into it. But to suggest that this is watertight and is
absolutely accurate, I am not prepared to accept that. As I have said, I will
look into the incident and I will look into the claims. In terms of protection —
Hon Ken Travers : You're like a mirror ball, aren't
you?
Hon PETER COLLIER : Hon Ken Travers has not asked the
question.
Hon Ken Travers : I'm hearing the answer, though!
Hon PETER COLLIER : Do you mind?
With regard to the second part of the question, what I will say is that
I am not quite sure what the member means by ''protection to
anthropologists''. I am certainly not aware of these widespread threats
against anthropologists; I am simply not. But, again, I will check with the
Department of Indigenous Affairs and see whether it is aware of any issue,
whether it is a generalised issue and whether they have had complaints from
anthropologists. Certainly, it has not come across my desk.
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