SWALSC is the Native Title Representative Body of the Noongar People

“The South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council is the native title representative body of the Noongar people, who are the traditional owners of the South West of Australia. SWALSC works with members to progress resolution of the Noongar native title claims, while also advancing and strengthening Noongar culture, language, heritage and society.”

Latest News & Events

Welcome to Country

 

SWALSC 2012 Annual Report Published

The SWALSC 2012 Annual Report has been published and is now available on the SWALSC website. View here.

October Newsletter Published

The October edition of the SWALSC newsletter has been published and is now available on the SWALSC website. This edition contains a comprehensive report on the current progress on the negotiations aimed at resolving the Noongar native title claims. View here

Kim Scott named as the first West Australian of the Year

Kim Scott, the highly acclaimed Noongar author, was named as the inaugural West Australian of the Year on 2 June 2012. Kim has twice won the Miles Franklin prize, which is Australia's most prestigious literary award. Kim is a member of the SWALSC Negotiation Team, who are engaged in discussions with the WA Government aimed at resolving the Noongar native title claims. Read more.

The Facts on the proposed native title settlement of the south west

This document contains detailed information about the negotiations between the South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council and the WA Government aimed at resolving the Noongar native title claims over the south west of WA. View here

Glen Kelly talking about the Native Title Negotiations (Video Bulletin #1)

Glen Kelly, CEO of the South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Counci, discusses (in this first video bulletin) three key components of the negotiations with the WA Government aimed at resolving the Noongar native title claims: Recognition of Noongar People as Traditional Owners, the Land component, and the Process and Timeframe for reaching an agreement.

To adjust the quality of these videos, press play and then run your curser across the bottom of the video screen to reveal the "change quality" icon; then click on this icon to choose one of the options.

View the Premier's Speech

On 8 February the Premier of WA, Colin Barnett delivered this speech at the Noongar Congress.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

The attached document answers some of the questions that have been raised by members of the Noongar community in relation to the negotiations aimed at resolving the Noongar native title claims. View here.

Factsheet and Outline of Community Development Programs

The attached document provides an overview of some of the key facts relating to the negotiations, as well as an outline of the type of community development programs that might be provided after if the negotiations were successful. View here.

Letter to SWALSC Members

This letter, outlining the background to the negotiations, was sent to all SWALSC members at the end of January. View here.

Links to Other Sources of Information about the Negotiations

The National Native Title Tribunal has set up a web page with information about the negotiations: View Here. The WA Government has set up a web page with information about the negotiations: View Here.

Negotiation News

The attached booklet provides background information about the negotiations. This booklet will be updated on a regular basis. View here.

Media Coverage

Below are news reports relating to the recent progress of negotiations of the Noongar native title claims. The reports were first broadcast on 4 February 2012, and are posted here courtesy of the ABC, and Channel 9 in Perth.

 

World Indigenous Women's Conference

The South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council will not be hosting the 2012 World Indigenous Women's Conference. SWALSC had hoped to host this event in Perth this year, but is unable to do so because of the workload related to the negotiations aimed at resolving the Noongar native title claims.

Legislation allowing Aboriginal involvement in the joint management of WA's conservation estate has successfuly passed through the WA Parliament

The Conservation Legislation Amendment Bill 2010, which will allow Aboriginal involvement in the joint management of WA's conservation estate, successfully passed through the third reading stage in the WA Parliament on 7th September 2011. The Bill will now be forwarded to the WA Govenor, and is expected to recieve Royal Assent within the next few weeks. The Bill will eventually come into operation when a proclamation notice is published in the Government Gazette. After almost 20 years of lobbying by many Aboriginal organisations and individuals from all parts of WA, including SWALSC CEO, Glen Kelly, Aboriginal people will be able to directly participate in the management of land currently managed by the Department of Conservation. The Bill will also allow Aboriginal people to undertake customary cultural activities on conservation estate land. See the August Newsletter for background information.

First phase of iconic rivers' trails project completed

The consultations with the Noongar community for the Swan and Canning Iconic Rivers' Trails Project have been completed. Read more.

Kim Scott wins the 2011 Miles Franklin and Commonwealth book awards

Noongar author Kim Scott has won the most prestigious literary award in Australia, the Miles Franklin Award, for his novel That Deadman Dance. Kim was the first Aboriginal writer to win the Miles Franklin in 2000 for his earlier novel Benang, and is now the first Aboriginal writer to win the Miles Franklin twice. See page 10 of the August 2011 newsletter. On 3 March 2011 it was announced that Kim had won the Commonwealth Writers' Prize for best book in the south-east Asia and Pacific region for That Deadman Dance. Read more.

SWALSC Book wins Human Rights Commission award

The book telling the story of the survival and resilience of the Noongar people has just won the 2010 Australian Human Rights Commission Non-Fiction Literature award. Read more about the book below, or view the media release.

Kaartdijin Noongar website launched

The Kaartdijin Noongar cultural heritage website was launched on Monday 13 December at the SWALSC offices. If you'd like to know more about the site please call (phone) 9358 7400 or (email) kaartdijin@noongar.org.au To visit the site...Link to site.

2010 Annual Report

The SWALSC 2010 Annual Report has been published and is now available on the SWALSC website. Download here.

SWALSC book wins research prize

The book about the history of the single Noongar claim "It's still in my heart, this is my country" has won the 2010 Margaret Medcalf Award for excellence in research... See below.

SWALSC collection priceless

A recent study by eminent local historians has found that SWALSC holds one of the most comprehensive collections on Noongar language, culture and history in Australia... Read more.

Kaartdijin Noongar - Sharing Noongar Knowledge with Noongars

Kaartdijin Noongar or Noongar Knowledge is part of a project aimed at collecting, storing and sharing Noongar information with Noongar people... Read more.

Kaartdijin Noongar - Sharing Noongar Culture with the wider community

Kaartdijin Noongar is the other part of the Noongar Knowledge project aimed at collecting, storing and sharing information about Noongar culture with the wider community... Read more.

Swan and Canning Iconic River Trails Project

Do you have any stories or yarns from the past or present about the Swan or Canning rivers? We are asking Noongar people to share their knowledge of the rivers as part of a project... Read more.

The Noongar Dialogue Report, February 2010

The Noongar Dialogue brought together Noongar leaders from many different fields for an ongoing conversation about how Noongar people could take another step towards taking more control over their own destiny by sharing ideas and learning from each other... Download here.

State Government signs historic framework agreement with SWALSC

On 17 December 2009 the State Government signed a Heads of Agreement with the South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council aimed at resolving the six Noongar native title claims... Read more.

History of the Single Noongar Claim

In October 2009 SWALSC launched the book: "IT'S STILL IN MY HEART, THIS IS MY COUNTRY" The Single Noongar Claim History, which is a history of the Noongar people and... Read more.

History of Single Noongar Claim wins research excellence prize

The book telling the story of the Single Noongar Claim has won the 2010 Margaret Medcalf Award recognising work that showed excellence in using State Archives. The WA Minister for Culture and the Arts, Mr John Day, said at the award presentation on 19 May that “the judges felt this book had the potential to alter the path of historical Aboriginal research and that the work has led to a paradigm shift in the way Aboriginal culture and identity are defined and understood.

In October 2009 SWALSC launched the book: "IT'S STILL IN MY HEART, THIS IS MY COUNTRY" The Single Noongar Claim History, which is a history of the Noongar people and their survival. The book is based on the history report prepared by John Host and Chris Owen that was tendered as expert evidence in the Single Noongar Claim.

The book's title comes from the evidence of Noongar elder, Angus Wallam, sworn before the federal court. In this book, and in the original report to the court on which the book is based, SWALSC sought to challenge existing versions of history and the related anthropology about Noongar people. Download the full press release.

Published by University of WA Publishing, it is available from the UWA bookshop (rrp $39.95). SWALSC members can order the book directly from SWALSC for $36 (include another $6 for postage, total cost including postage is $42). For details call SWALSC on 9358 7400 or send an email to: reception1@noongar.org.au

 

Native title negotiation information meetings:

• Details of the next round of meetings providing information about the negotiations with the WA Government (aimed at resolving the Noongar native title claims) will be posted here shortly.
  
• For details of SWALSC's normal Working Party and Family meetings, click the following link:
  Read More

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