Cape York mining deal approved by families on original native title application, Larry Joe Woosup tells court

A Cape York traditional owner on trial for fraud for an alleged dishonest signing of a royalty agreement behind his community’s back told a court apical family groups authorised the deal.

A CAPE York traditional owner on trial for fraud over the allegedly dishonest signing of an agreement with a bauxite mining company behind his community’s back has told the court of a meeting with family members authorising the deal.

Larry Joe Woosup told the Cairns District Court on Monday that there were five apical ancestor’s family groups on the original Ankamuthi people native title application and that there was a report from a “most senior” anthropologist Dr Fiona Powell confirming as much.

Ankamuthi traditional owner Larry Woosup. PHOTO: BRENDAN RADKE.

Under questioning from his barrister Kelly Goodwin, Mr Woosup said there was a meeting with those who he recognised as Ankamuthi people before the signing of the royalty agreement with mining company Gulf Alumina in December 2013.

Explaining the meeting, Mr Woosup said: “Well we gather all the appropriate and identified family members or groups from those particular five ancestors. We had limited funds we, we couldn’t bring everybody down … Yes, we did have a consultation with members”.

“And did you satisfy yourself that all the parties who attended that meeting understood the agreement?” Mr Goodwin asked.

Bauxite ore being fed into crushers at a Cape York bauxite mine. Picture: Peter Carruthers

“Yes they were, they fully understood what’s been said and what’s been displayed and what’s been shared amongst the meeting,” Mr Woosup said.

Mr Goodwin asked if as a result of those people attending the meeting, did they give their approval for Mr Woosup to enter into the agreement with Gulf Alumina.

“Yes they were,” he said.

Mr Woosup pleaded not guilty to two counts of dishonestly obtaining a benefit of more than $30,000 at the start of his trial on Tuesday last week.

The court earlier in the trial heard that after negotiations between an Ankamuthi working group and Gulf Alumina stalled in 2010, Mr Woosup began working on a deal once more in May 2013 and later struck a deal in December 2013 for royalties to be paid at 50c a tonne, the same rate the working group had rejected in 2010.

Mr Woosup told the court that Gulf Alumina had invoked section 31B of the Native Title Act to deal directly with the applicant rather than the land council wider group.

The court had previously heard Mr Woosup and Beverley Tamwoy are the only surviving Ankamuthi native title applicants from an original 1998 claim.

“So Section 31B of the Native Title Act was actually used by Gulf Alumina to negotiate with you directly?” Mr Goodwin asked.

“That’s correct,” Mr Woosup replied.

The trial before Judge Dean Morzone QC continues on Tuesday.

Originally published as Cape York mining deal approved by families on original native title application, Larry Joe Woosup tells court