Lismore City Council hand back of Sleeping Lizard set to continue

Lismore City councillor Big Rob’s motion to halt the handing back of the North Lismore Plateau to the traditional owners so other options could be investigated has failed.

Mickey Ryan reaches out to Steve Krieg during a Lismore City Council meeting on Tuesday night.

Big Rob was the only councillor to vote for a motion to consider halting action on Lismore City Council’s decision to hand a culturally significant piece of land back to the Indigenous community.

Mr Rob had brought the motion to Tuesday night’s council meeting that the council consider all options for profit on the residential portion of the North Lismore Plateau area.

He had also moved that the council “provide in principle” support to transfer ownership of environmental conservation and environmental management lots to the traditional owners.

But all other councillors voted against Mr Rob’s motion, instead choosing to defer the issue to a workshop for councillors to gather more information with NTS Corp and traditional owners.

Councillor Big Rob’s motion was voted down 10 votes to one

The motion, which was brought by councillor Elly Bird, stated the council would consult with NTS Corp and native title applicants were “to be invited” to a workshop.

Ms Bird’s motion was supported unanimously.

As it stands, the process of land transfer to the traditional owners will continue but more consultation will be done with elders.

“We have been told several things that weren’t all accurate,” Mayor Steve Krieg said after the vote.

“I would like to spend time to listen, my job as the mayor is to listen.

“We got voted in to make the right decisions, not the popular ones.”

Councillors were warned by residents they were “on the wrong side of history” after concerns were raised about them reneging on a promise to hand back 37ha of council-owned land to its traditional owners, the Widjabul Wia-bal people of the Bundjalung nation.

Councillor Adam Guise spoke against Mr Rob’s motion.

“We shouldn’t be there but we are,” he said.

“This is an example of revenge politics, trying to turn back decisions already been made by this council.

“To support this motion is to turn our back on our original peoples.”

Adam Guise said the potential for council to make money from the North Lismore Plateau was limited. Picture: Jason O’Brien

Mr Rob sought to clear up what he described as misunderstanding over the motion.

“We are trying to find a way to pay to fix the rest of the land not give back rubbish land,” he said.

“We have rules to follow not give away land in a wishy washy rush.”

A member of the public gallery left while Mr Rob was speaking and yelled out that the process was a “disgrace”.

Vanessa Ekins speaks against Big Rob's motion to halt the handing back of North Lismore Plateau.

Councillor Vanessa Ekins criticised Mr Rob’s motion saying that the matter should be deferred to a workshop so the council could be fully informed.

She said without that, the process would “bring really really bad blood” between the Aboriginal community and council.

Ms Ekins created a petition to gather community support against Mr Rob’s motion which the meeting heard had collected more than 20,000 signatures.

Widjabul Wia-bal elder Uncle Mickey Ryan delivers a petition against Big Rob’s motion

Prior to the meeting, more than 150 residents gathered on the grass hill outside the council chambers in protest against Mr Rob’s motion.

Sleeping Lizard is a culturally significant tribal marker where tribes would gather when moving north.

It is also a large burial site according to Widjabul Wia-bal elder Mickey Ryan.