Why gender matters - Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining ...

Case study 9: Rio Tinto in Australia
Community engagement with Aboriginal women
and men in a variety of programme areas
9
With an integrated network of 11 mines, three shipping terminals and the
largest privately owned and operated rail system in Australia, our Pilbara
operations produced more than 175 million tonnes of iron ore in 2008
and are growing towards an annual production rate of 220 million tonnes.
Rio Tinto Iron Ore is also one of the largest employers in the region, with
about 6,200 employees (Rio Tinto Iron Ore Human Resources Report, Q1
2009). The Ngarluma are one of eleven traditional owner groups who are
impacted by Rio Tinto’s iron ore operations in the Pilbara.
The Ngarluma (jointly with Yinjibarndi people) hold native title over
land in the West Pilbara around Dampier, Karratha, Cape Lambert and
Roebourne. A 2005 court determination granted native title over a
24,428 square kilometres area excluding townships and mining leases.
Pilbara
Australia
At a celebration in Roebourne
in July 2008, Rio Tinto and the
Ngarluma people signed an initial
Binding Agreement (the ‘Letter
Agreement’) which will lead to an
Indigenous Land Use Agreement
(ILUA). The agreement is based
on infrastructure (ports and rail)
because there are no mines in
Ngarluma country. Under the
agreement, Rio Tinto will pay
financial benefits for activities
on Ngarluma country, and in
return the Ngarluma Aboriginal
Corporation will consent to
these activities, carry out priority
heritage surveys and not object
to Rio Tinto’s tenure applications.
The ILUA will also provide
a framework for Rio Tinto’s
relationship with Ngarluma on
issues including employment and
training, business development
and contracting, and land and
cultural management.
Rio Tinto Iron Ore’s engagement
with the Ngarluma people has
developed over a number of years.
There are many initiatives that
seek to ensure that Indigenous
women, as well as men, benefit
from the mine’s presence. The
initiatives below highlight some
of Rio Tinto Iron Ore’s various
engagements with Ngarluma
women in particular, from
consent processes through to
community engagement and
development.
Consent
Women were involved in
negotiations with Rio Tinto Iron
Ore from the outset and Rio Tinto
Iron Ore ensured that both women
and men were consulted in initial
negotiations. Rio Tinto Iron Ore
recognises that culturally, women
and men have different roles and
responsibilities.
Historically women have
played significant roles in the
advancement of Aboriginal
affairs in Roebourne. The Binding
Agreement between the Ngarluma
Aboriginal Corporation and
Rio Tinto holds the signatures of
17 named Ngarluma Traditional
Owners on the negotiating party,
nine of whom are women. Twelve
people signed agreeing to the terms
of the agreement. Seven of the 12
signatories were women. Also, all
three representative signatories
from Ngarluma Aboriginal
Corporation Mt Welcome Pastoral
Company and for Rio Tinto Iron
Ore were women.
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