‘Show me the proof’: Clash over land owned by Gina Rinehart’s mining company

A cop has been praised for her measured response to a woman who claimed she had a “sovereign” right to camp on land owned by Gina Rinehart’s mining company.

A female police officer has been praised for her measured response to a woman who claimed she had a “sovereign” right to camp on privately-owned land in Australia’s Outback.

Police were called to a pastoral station, owed by Gina Rinehart’s mining giant Roy Hill, in Western Australia’s remote Pilbara region on October 9.

Footage of the interaction, shared on X, began mid-confrontation with the woman repeatedly shouting at the officer: “You don’t have respect for our rights”

“It’s now five days after you arrived, I’m asking you to leave. You’re not being very polite,” the officer calmly responds.

“I’m asking you very nicely please pack up your stuff and leave.”

A female officer repeatedly told an Indigenous woman she was unable to camp on privately-owned land. Picture: X

At one point, a policeman stepped in to tell the woman mining giant Roy Hill owned the land the group were camping on. Picture: X

The woman, filming from inside of her car, demands the officer show her “the agreement that Roy Hill has.”

“You were served a letter yesterday,” the officer replies.

“Show me the letter. Show me the bill of rights. Show me the proof that they own this land,” the woman demands.

The Bill of Rights, which does not exist in Australia, refers to the first 10 amendments to the United States constitution which guarantee civil rights and freedoms to citizens.

Human rights protections are found in Australia’s constitution and in legislation passed by state and federal governments.

“Why do I have to serve this?,” the officer replies. “If you’ve got a problem with how the land is, there’s a civil claim for an appeal that you can make that will give you access…”

“We’ve made it to the United Nations,” the woman interjects.

“That doesn’t apply right now,” the frustrated officer responds.

“Why doesn’t it? Why doesn’t the Mabo – the highest court in the land – apply to our sovereignty?”

The woman refused to listen to the officers, insisting she had a “sovereign” right to the land. Picture: X

At this point, a male officer standing in the background intervenes, saying: “The land you’re camping in… that’s owned by Roy Hill.”

“No it’s not, show me proof,” the woman defiantly responds.

“There’s a lease that doesn’t expire until 2044,” the policewoman adds.

A passenger in the woman’s car can be heard calling the lease “fraudulent” before the clip abruptly cuts off.

Western Australia Police told news.com.au they were called to a pastoral station between Newman and Nullagine about reports a group of people were on private property.

“Upon arrival, officers spoke to several people who were present,” a police spokesperson said.

“The group left the property without incident, and no further police action was required.”

Roy Hill has native title agreements with four separate groups - the Kariyarra, Palyku, Nyiyaparli and Nyamal people - in order to operate in the Pilbara region.

“These agreements distribute significant royalties to each group as well as other agreed investments,” the mining giant, which is 80 per cent owned by Ms Rinehart, says on its website.

“We have very strong collaborative relationships with all the Groups. We are very proud of these relationships and meet both formally and informally,” the miner adds.

news.com.au has contacted the Karlka Nyiyaparli Aboriginal Corporation, understood to be the native title holders for the pastoral lease in question, for further comment.

Originally published as ‘Show me the proof’: Clash over land owned by Gina Rinehart’s mining company