Indigenous group rejects Traveston dam agreement
27 6 2007
An Indigenous group has knocked back a $1 million offer from the State Government to sign a land use agreement for the Traveston Crossing dam in south-east Queensland.
Gubbi Gubbi elder Doctor Eve Fesl says her people refused the offer because it would have given their consent to dam the Mary River.
Doctor Fesl says two other Indigenous groups accepted the offer, but her group’s refusal will make it more difficult for the Government to acquire land rights.
“We can’t actually stop the dam but it’s going to make it more difficult for them to get an Indigenous land use agreement,” she said.
“The other two groups will be paid the money if an Indigenous land use agreement gets up, but if it isn’t the Government will take compulsory acquisition.”
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Traditional owners reject cash bribe for culture
28.06.2007
THE traditional owners of the Mary Valley have put aside their own loss of the land and turned down money they need, to help stop the proposed Traveston Crossing dam.
Gubbi Gubbi representative Eve Fesl said yesterday her people had rejected nearly $1 million, offered by the State Government in return for surrendering their indigenous rights over land in the dam’s inundation area.
In a gesture that sets a high standard for all land custodians, indigenous or otherwise, Dr Fesl said: “No Aboriginal person worth their salt would swap the environment for money.
“The others aren’t very happy with us,” she said, referring to two other Aboriginal ownership groups who moved to accept the offer.
Our refusal makes it harder for them to get the money they want.”
Dr Fesl said the State Government had offered “nearly $1 million” to each of the three indigenous groups, but only the Gubbi Gubbi people had rejected the offer.
“We’ve refused it, even though a lot of our people are poor,” she said.
Dr Fesl said she did not want to argue with the other groups, who had wanted to accept the Government offer.
“I don’t have to talk about them. Our gesture stands on its own.”
She said the money had been offered in return for signing an Indigenous Land Use Agreement, which would allow the government to go ahead and fill the dam. They can still do it under compulsory acquisition, but that won’t be anything to do with us.
“The Gubbi Gubbi people have been united, even before the government approached us, in trying to protect the Mary River, in particular the sacred lungfish.
“If you’re really a Gubbi person, you wouldn’t put money ahead of your heritage.
“That’s why we say no to the money, even though a lot of our people are poor. I think we’re setting an example to the white community too.
“If you’re going to care for the environment, you have to put it ahead of money.
“Lack of concern for the environment and the love of money cause a lot of the problems we have today,” she said.
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