Aboriginal CEO is fired after demanding $2.5million from government

Aboriginal Corporation CEO David Collard is fired after demanding $2.5million from government to allow planting of trees at Perth

• Tree planting events along a Perth river cancelled
• Whadjuk Aboriginal Corporation reportedly demand $2.5m
• Leader David Collard now been dismissed from the role

The leader of an Aboriginal corporation who demanded $2.5million to approve two tree-planting events has been dismissed from his role.

LandCare volunteers were planning to plant 5,500 seedlings along Perth’s Canning River on the weekend.

But the event was cancelled after Whadjuk Aboriginal Corporation CEO David Collard demanded $2.5million to allow it to go ahead, sparking confusion about Western Australia’s new Aboriginal heritage laws.

Whadjuk Aboriginal Corporation chief executive David Collard (pictured) has been dismissed from his role but the corporation insists it was not because of the planting saga

He has now been dismissed from his role but the corporation insists it wasn’t because of the planting saga.

‘The employment relationship with Mr Collard ended in July 2023 and this was not related to the Canning River planting,’ the corporation said in a statement. 

There are now fears the seedlings are at risk of dying and could go to waste.

‘We’ve got to get them into the ground to make the most of the wet soil,’ South East Regional Land Care’s Stephen Johnston told Seven News.

It comes after the WA’s revamped Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act came into effect with tougher penalties for damaging sites of traditional significance. 

Many rivers, creeks and other tributaries are now considered ethnographic sites, requiring the highest level of assessment to change.

The Canning River is among those now recognised as a site of Aboriginal cultural significance. 

At least three community tree planting events have been shut down since the new laws came into effect a fortnight ago.

Thousands of seedlings were meant to be planted along Perth’s Canning River (pictured)

City of Canning mayor Patrick Hall (left) and land care advocates are furious over the decision

Frustrated mayors have pleaded with the WA government to step in and resolve the issue.

‘We’re standing here today in solidarity with some of these environmental groups saying, somebody needs to clarify this legislation — it has become somewhat of a mess,’ City of Canning Mayor Patrick Hall said

Western Australia’s Aboriginal Affairs Minister Tony Buti said it was ‘incredibly disappointing’ the Canning River planting had not gone ahead but insisted that the state’s indigenous heritage regime had had a ‘pretty smooth’ start otherwise, reported The Australian. 

However, Opposition Leader Shane Love said the new act had led to ‘utter chaos’ and was acting as a handbrake on many industries. 

He called for Dr Buti to stand down from the Aboriginal affairs ministry.

‘If anyone should be blamed, it’s Dr Buti and his management of this whole situation as minister,’ Mr Love said. 

‘We told him before this came in that the community was not ready and it’s very, very clear in the short time since the introduction of this act that there’s a tremendous amount of confusion and concern around what the regulations actually mean, and how business and community groups and land owners can negotiate their way through this.’

Thousands of seedlings which were meant to be planted are now at risk of dying

Shadow defence minister Andrew Hastie, who’s also federal member for Canning wants the new laws abolished.

‘The Aboriginal Cultural Heritage laws are only two weeks old, and already an Indigenous corporation is using them to demand millions of dollars,’ he wrote on Sunday night.

‘It’s time for Roger Cook (WA Premier) to scrap these divisive laws.’

The latest furore comes a week after the opening of the $232million Mitchell Freeway extension spiralled into chaos when two Aboriginal elders clashed over who had the right to conduct the smoking ceremony.

Deputy Minister Rita Saffioti was seen at the launch hurriedly turning away to consult with an official while Whadjak Noongar man Steve Jacobs bickered with another Indigenous man over who had the right to conduct the ceremony.

Source: Read Full Article