Echo NetDaily, 8 April 2022:
A locally-based NSW Nationals MLC was recently pressured over his lack of consultation with Indigenous custodians regarding the contentious Dunoon Dam proposal.
According to the February 24 Hansard transcript of NSW Parliament, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Ben Franklin, was asked by Greens MP, Cate Faehrmann, if he had attempted to meet with the Widjabul Wia-bal people around their concerns about the impending destruction of 25 sacred sites, ‘should the Dunoon Dam go ahead’.
He replied in part, ‘The short answer is that I have not met with them yet. I do not think they have reached out to ask for a visit. I may be wrong, but I do not think that is the case. Of course, I would be happy to meet with them. I am happy to meet with any Aboriginal organisation or community across this State as much as I possibly can if my diary will allow’.
Mr Franklin also refused to pre-empt the outcome of any meeting, and said that, ‘We must genuinely collaborate and listen to their aims and ambitions and concerns in order to address them effectively’.
I am happy to meet with them
He went on: ‘Can we do that in every situation? No, because there are a range of competing interests within government and they must all be balanced. But I make the commitment that I am happy to meet with them’.
He added there was no plan on the table for the Dunoon Dam, ‘though there has certainly been discussion, and a different position has been promulgated by Rous County Council after the recent local government elections, which may lead to other actions. At the moment there is no plan on the table’. for the Government’s consideration. When there is one, obviously that will need to be considered’……
Ben Franklin has been a Nationals MLC for the last 7 years, first in the NSW Baird Government, then the Berejiklian Government and finally in the Perrottet Government. He has been Minister for Aboriginal Affairs as well as Minister for the Arts since December 2021. These are his first ministerial roles.
Despite living in Northern New South Wales, Mr. Franklin has a spotty voting history when it comes to protecting the aesthetic, environmental, cultural, social & economic values of local communities against the interests of industry lobby groups and party political donors.
On 4 February 2022 in the NSW Legislative Council as he danced around the issues of strong opposition of the Widjabul Wia-bal people to the widespread inundation of sacred land in order to create a second dam on Rocky Creek, along with the loss of 25 ancestral stone burial sites, he clearly stated that he was; “a very proud member of a resident of the northern rivers region of New South Wales and member of the National Party. As such, I understand the critical importance of building water infrastructure as well…..that we must look at what we need to do to build water and other infrastructure in this State”.
Mr. Franklin further stated that; “we must also be incredibly sympathetic to the concerns of Aboriginal people”.
Given his advocacy on sensitive issues often does not survive when it comes to the vote he casts in the Upper House, I am not all that hopeful that he will genuinely assist the Widjabul Wia-bal people to protect Country.
One suspects that he is likely to be more closely aligned with Kevin Hogan the Nationals MP for Page, one of only two federal electorates in the Northern Rivers, who clearly favours dam proposals.
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