Whadjuk Aboriginal Corporation’s implosion leaves 16 major Perth projects in limbo

The implosion of the Aboriginal corporation representing traditional owners of Perth has stalled 16 city projects that require heritage assessments under West Australian law.

Whadjuk Aboriginal Corporation chairperson Reg Yarran. Picture: Marie Nirme

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The implosion of the Aboriginal corporation representing traditional owners of Perth has stalled 16 city projects that require heritage assessments under West Australian law, amid revelations the organisation established for community benefit brought in a private company to conduct some of its most critical duties.

The Australian on Tuesday revealed the Whadjuk Aboriginal Corporation – the representative corporation for traditional owners of Perth and surrounds – had been cut off from money that flows from the $1.3bn Noongar native title settlement after months of tumult.

Industry, government departments and councils that relied on the Whadjuk Aboriginal Corporation for heritage work have been thrown into limbo as the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations considers allegations including bullying and infighting.

The Australian understands Whadjuk had work under way or waiting to be done on 16 projects across Perth when it made five of six staff redundant, and then brought in private company SWALS to do its heritage work

In a letter sent to numerous local councils in Perth last week, Whadjuk chairperson Reg Yarran said SWALS came onboard after “an internal appointment process”.

The letter, obtained by The Australian, includes an instruction to consultants working in heritage under “What You Need to Do”.

“To avoid formal intervention or project disruption, all consultants currently engaged in heritage or land-use work on Whadjuk Noongar Boodja (Perth land) must immediately cease further activity unless authorised through SWALS,” the letter states.

“Consultants are formally put on notice:

• You must contact SWALS (the private company) immediately to confirm the status of any existing or proposed works;

• WAC (Whadjuk) and SWALS will determine whether ongoing projects can transition to compliance or must be discontinued;

• Any unauthorised heritage assessments, surveys or related ­activity undertaken without ­express approval from WAC via SWALS may be subject to legal challenge, non-recognition, or referral to relevant authorities.”

SWALS is 51 per cent owned by Noongar businessman Joe Collard – former chairperson of Whadjuk’s cultural advice committee – and 49 per cent by heritage consultant John Cecchi, according to company records.

The disorder at Whadjuk began last year but the tipping point came recently when Perpetual learned the Whadjuk board had only three directors and therefore no quorum.

Perpetual has issued the remaining board members with a default notice and suspended it from receiving money from the Noongar Boodja Trust established in 2021 as part of the nation’s biggest ­native title settlement.

This follows activism by members of the Noongar community concerned the organisation had lost its way and was no longer representing them well.

Whadjuk began specialising in heritage consultancy two years ago and its clients included Perth Airport’s $2.5bn new runway project, Chalice Mining and utilities companies Western Power, NBN and Telstra, according to the corporation’s 2024 annual report.

The corporation did 90 Aboriginal heritage jobs in 2024.

A source familiar with ­Whadjuk’s client list said that some ­projects could not continue without a readjustment that would take time and cost money. Others – such as the Perth Airport new runway – were advanced and it was believed they could proceed to completion with a contingency plan that did not involve Whadjuk.

There are Aboriginal heritage requirements on almost all new projects in WA.

The state’s 1972 heritage act was brought into law with bi­partisan support after a public outcry over the pilfering of ancient stone installations in the northern goldfields.