NSWALC told to show its face over mining exploration plans

Patsy Nagas

Northern Rivers Echo 22 March 2012:

Former Kyogle councillor and Aboriginal woman Patsy Nagas also challenged NSW Aboriginal Land Council CEO Geoff Scott to come and face local people. She expressed anger at the Sydney-based land council's application for petroleum exploration licences in the region.

"It's breaking cultural protocol to start with… It's someone else giving away someone else's country," she said.

She claimed the Githabul people had already signed over land that they claimed through Native Title near The Risk and The Lions Road for mining exploration. She said the issue was of great concern and there needed to be deeper discussion about the implications for Aboriginal people and their land.

Byron Shire News 16 March 2012:

"It is another spiritual country; it is not (Mr Scott's) country and it is up to the people of that area."

The Northern Star 13 March 2012:

Bundjalung elder and Gugin Guddaba Local Aboriginal Land Council deputy chairwoman Patsy Nagas also said her group were strongly opposed to the development of coal seam gas in the region.  

Photograph from Google Images