David Cousins - Aboriginals and the Mining Industry. Case Studies of the Australian Experience

Case studies of
the Australian experience

DAVID COUSINS
JOHN NIEUWENHUYSEN

David Cousins and John Nieuwenhuysen 1984

This book is copyright under the Berne Convention.

No reproduction without permission.

All rights reserved.

First published in 1984 by

George Allen & Unwin Australia Pty Ltd

8 Napier Street, North Sydney, NSW 2060 Australia

George Allen & Unwin (Publishers) Ltd

18 Park Lane, Hemel Hempstead, Herts HP2 4TE

England

Allen & Unwin Inc

9 Winchester Terrace, Winchester, Mass 01890 USA

National Library of Australia

Cataloguing-in-Publication entry:

Cousins, David.

Aboriginals and the mining industry.

Bibliography.

Includes Index.

ISBN 0 86861 263 4.

ISBN 0 86861 271 5 (pbk.).

eISBN 978 1 74269 650 8

1. Mineral industries Australia.

[2]. Aborigines, Australian Economic
conditions. I. Nieuwenhuysen, J.P. (John
Peter), 1937- . II. Title.

338.2'0994

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 83-72738

The Department of Aboriginal Affairs (DAA) provided finance for the employment of Dr David Cousins as a research fellow in the Economics Department of the University of Melbourne during 1982, to work on this project. The support of DAA is gratefully acknowledged. Although its resources are severely strained, the University did what it could to assist production, and we wish to thank the Economics Department (and in particular its current chairman, Jack Sullivan) for providing a home for the work.

Many people assisted with the study. We are particularly indebted to the following: Roger Dobb, Lawrie Poland, Noel Jones, Ken Wanganeen, John Airey, Bill Gray, Ian Hooper, Robert Draffin, Bob Hogg (DAA); Charles Perkins, Gatjil Djerrkura, John Connelly (Aboriginal Development Commission); Tom Gibson, Sue Ludberg, David Weir, John Hayes (Department of Employment and Industrial Relations); Gerry Blitner, Helen McFarlan, Mike Casey (Northern Land Council); Don Egan, Dean Bunney, Karl Stewart, Bill Johnson, Karen McLeod (COMALCO Ltd); Bob Challen, Barry Mathias, Peter Beard, Paula Sweeney, Andrew Bryson (Mount Isa Mines Ltd); Jim Strong, Barry Owens, Bruce Roberts, Peter Ross, Ken Ives (NABALCO Pty Ltd); Rob Harden, John Moyle, Peter Duminy (Broken Hill Pty Co. Ltd); Allan Wright, Richard Henderson, George Baker (Groote Eylandt Mining Co. Ltd); Greg Smith, Alan McIntosh (Ranger Uranium Mines Pty Ltd); John Gee, Peter Bailey, Al Samuels (Queensland Mines Ltd); Chris Viner-Smith (Pancontinental Mining Ltd); Barry Naylor, Tony Green, Trevor Levien, Nick Renson (Mount Newman Mining Co. Pty Ltd); Doug Mathews, Bob Jackson (Hammersley Iron Pty Ltd); Mike Bell, Mike Sweeney, John McLeod (CRA Ltd); Neil Butcher (Ashton Joint Venture); Tony Brown (CSR Ltd); Andy Easton (Yirrkala Business Enterprises Pty Ltd); Allan Garraway (Garraway and Partners); Ken Patterson (Australian Mining Industry Council); Jean Jimmy (Weipa South); Johnika Rika, Dhungula (Yirrkala); Jimbana Lalara, Nandjiwarra Amagula, Lance Tremlett, Henry Grey (Angurugu); Glenis Sibosado (Hedland Aboriginal Progress Association); Dr H. C. Coombs, Dr David Penny, Dr Nicholas Peterson, Dr Jon Altman, Professor E. K. Fisk (Australia National University); Dr Peter Loveday (North Australia Research Unit); Sue Kestervan (Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies); Charlie Butcher (Australian Workers Union); and Frank Guivana (Transport Workers Union). It hardly needs to be said that the opinions expressed in the book are not necessarily shared by any of the people listed above.

DAA and the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) gave financial support for the production of the book. We are grateful also to Mr Charles Perkins, Chairman of the Aboriginal Development Commission, for providing the Foreword.

Finally we thank Rosemary Thompson, Anne Marsden and Jenny Gibson of the University of Melbourne and Ann Goldate of CEDA for assistance at various stages with typing.