Native Title settlement offer on the table for Noongar people

The South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council (SWALSC) says a number of social problems faced by Western Australia's Noongar people can eventually be overcome as a result of a significant Native Title offer.

The WA Government hopes to settle a long-running Native Title claim over Perth and the south-west of the state with a $1 billion package of cash injections, a future fund to address social issues and land transfers to the Noongar people.

SWALSC CEO Glen Kelly believes the future fund will be of overwhelming benefit to Noongar people and will help to 'close the gap' between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in the region.

"It's compensation in lieu of extinguishment, meaning we want the compensation upfront. We don't want to be fighting for 20 years for it.

"Also, [we want] an exchange for the Future Act system and we will maintain a modified Future Act system and we will maintain the ability to draw benefit from the activity that happens on Noongar country.

"Also, [we want] good measures of social justice and reconciliation, which have also have added to the offer that's on the table now."

The deal is also supported by the CEO of the National Native Title Council, Brian Wyatt.

But the deal has not been without its opponents.

Premier Colin Barnett met about 200 Noongar people recently to answer questions about the agreement, but he was also met by an angry group of protesters.

The protesters have since set up on Heirisson Island in the Swan River in Perth (pictured).

Noongar traditional owner and elder Richard Wilkes says his land and culture are not for sale and he won't support the Native Title offer.

Mr. Wilkes is skeptical of the potential long-term benefits of the money and has criticised SWALSC as not genuinely representing the land rights of his people.

He says Noongar people have been custodians of the land for approximately 40,000 years and it's of too great cultural significance to give up.

"Well, I'm concerned that myself and my descendents and our people, as it stands now, will have no land that we can call our own.

"Also, our future generations will have no land and we'll become aliens in our own land.

"It's all because of the greediness of the Premier [Colin Barnett] who wants to develop and all because we've got greedy people who want money and want plenty of it within our groups."

Download the full interview with NIRS journalist Michael Stewart and South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council CEO Glen Kelly here

Download the full interview with NIRS journalist Warren Barnsley and Noongar elder Richard Wilkes here