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Cape York Weekly FREE – #026 | Monday, March 22, 2021

Editor: Matt Nicholls 0477 450 558 | editor@capeyorkweekly.com.au

KEEP THE TIP OPEN IN 2021

Tourism operators angered by lack of clarity from leaders

Closure unlikely

Is the tip of Cape York closed off to tourists? The answer is no – at least for now. Despite a scare campaign by the Cairns Post, there should be no cause for travellers to cancel their plans in 2021. Both the local council and state government say they haven’t been told of any closures to the site. Angry tourism operators are desperate for a leader to sort out the situation. Report – Page 7

NEWS IN BRIEF Easter bunny in Weipa THE Easter Bunny is expected to make an early appearance in Weipa this weekend. The Weipa Town Authority has written confirmation that the provider of chocolate treats will be seen at this Saturday’s Easter Markets, to be held at the Rocky Point Storm Surge Shelter. Following the success of the markets at the Women’s Wellness Weekend, a big crowd is expected to show up this Saturday. A large number of stall holders have locked in the event, which will give locals a chance to do a little bit of pre-Easter shopping. More information can be found on the WTA website.

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Glencore deal is positive for Aurukun bauxite mine By MATT NICHOLLS CONFIDENCE is growing that Aurukun’s bauxite deposit will one day be mined after Glencore last week struck a significant deal with Mitsubishi Development. Under the agreement, Mitsubishi will acquire a 30 per cent interest in the project, with the remaining interest retained by Glencore. Glencore will remain the operator as it assesses the feasibility of its first new mine project in Australia for at least a decade. Glencore project director Julian Farrugia said the partnership was a sign of market confidence in the project. “Since our first involvement with the project we have been engaging with a range of potential customers and interested parties to support the development of the Aurukun bauxite resource, as we’ve done for multiple resource projects in Australia over the past 20 years,” he said. “We were approached by a number of parties interested to participate in the project, and are pleased to have selected Mitsubishi, with whom Glencore has previous experience in joint venture, to jointly progress this opportunity.” For those thinking that this will guarantee progress the project towards completion, it’s not that simple. Glencore is still in the process of negotiating agreements with Traditional Owners and has yet to apply for the necessary approvals to proceed with the mine. The mining company is finalising an Environmental Impact Statement for the project, which will be available for public consultation in mid-2021, as part of the state and federal government approvals process. “Importantly, our project pathway is based on a foundation of strong and early direct community engagement. Since

Glencore’s Julian Farrugia is working hard to secure approvals for an Aurukun bauxite mine.

our first visit to Aurukun in 2013, we have been committed to openly and transparently discussing the benefits and impacts of the project with the community,” Mr Farrugia said. “The involvement of Traditional Owners and the community is vital to the project’s future success. “Our vision is to achieve tangible, long-term benefits for the local community and Traditional Owners that align with their aspirations for their community and their country. This includes local employment and new business opportunities, as well as improved access to, and use of, traditional country.” And even if all that does get the green light, Glencore would still need to approve the likely billion-dollar cheque to fund the capital to create the mine and its infrastructure. Mitsubishi Development CEO, Sadahiko Haneji said the deal with Glencore was sig-

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nificant because, if approved, it would generate jobs, benefits and supplier revenue for a regional and remote community. “For more than 50 years, we have been providing investment Australians can count on,” he said. “We actively seek assets that have the potential to deliver strong social and economic benefits to communities, as well as broader environmental benefits as the world moves to a low-carbon/decarbonised society. “The Aurukun Bauxite Project delivers on both of these objectives as we seek to capture growing demand for bauxite – the key ingredient in aluminium – a metal playing an important role in reducing carbon emissions given its lightweight properties making it less fuel intensive when used in transportation, as well as its ability to be endlessly recycled.” Mitsubishi’s head of business strategy Kenji Azuma said the

deal would still hinge on receiving mining leases. “Glencore has done a great job of moving this project forward, and together, I believe we can unlock the huge potential of this deposit to provide jobs, education and training opportunities for the local community,” he said. “As a Japanese company we have a deep respect for cultural heritage. “We acknowledge the strong connection the Traditional Owners have with the land and will strive to earn their trust.” The new mine, which would be about 23km from Aurukun, would operate for more than 20 years, with annual production of 8 million tonnes of bauxite a year. Glencore said it would employ 400 workers once it starts production. The construction of the mine would take two years, creating around 250 jobs.

‘Definitely not dingoes’ are removed from community A PACK of roaming dogs that look like dingoes, but are “definitely not dingoes” – at least according to a local mining company, have likely been removed from the public spotlight. Cape York Weekly can’t tell you the full story because the powers-that-be don’t want you to know anything about this one. What we can tell you is that Weipa ratepayers have covered the expenses in the thousands of dollars for an expert to fly in to remove the pack of “definitely not

dingoes” and prevent them from causing any harm to the commuinity. The roaming pack had been spotted along the walking track near Evans Landing on a number of occasions, while a few had been seen closer to the Nanum shopping precinct. The Weipa Town Authority put up a public notice on Tuesday afternoon with no detailed explanation. The notice read: “Residents are advised that feral animal control activities will take place between Tuesday

16th and Sunday 21st March within the township area. “This control program will include the use of firearms at the landfill and tailings dam facilities, as well as supervised soft-catch trapping methods.” According to sources, calling them wild dogs instead of dingoes creates fewer headaches with both authorities and potentially some Traditional Owners. Cape York Weekly will endeavour to find out more and has requested an interview with the hired contractor.

By MATT NICHOLLS MICHELLE Elvy is happy to bring a little bit of boring to her newly created role as she looks to put her stamp on Rio Tinto in Weipa. The new general manager of bauxite, replacing the GM roles at Weipa and Gove, says that safety and stability will be pillars of her leadership. “There has been a lot of change in leadership roles, especially in the bauxite business and I’m looking for stability,” Ms Elvy said. “We want to get people out of acting roles and into permanent positions, creating a stable leadership team so that we can move to a safe, stable production.” Ms Elvy joins Rio Tinto for the first time in her career, having spent the best part of the last decade with BHP. She said she was attracted to the bauxite position because it was the first time working with the commodity, first time in Cape York, and provided the opportunity to be part of a community. “It’s really not that remote,” she said with a laugh. “I’m really excited about being part of a community again. I grew up in a town smaller than Weipa.” Ms Elvy has worked in the coal and copper industries and was most recently helping BHP recover its position in Brazil following the devastating collapse of a dam at Samarco. “That was quite challenging,” she said of both her role in Brazil and commuting to and from Australia. There are big differences between Rio Tinto and BHP, she said, but she was confident of getting up to speed quickly.

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“The systems are sort of similar but all the words are different,” the GM said. “I spent my first week getting up to speed, going through all the inductions, understanding the social value framework and understanding how Rio Tinto manages safety. “It’s important to not only understand the intent but how the systems are designed. “It’s a really large role across Weipa and Gove. “Gove has a closure component, while Weipa has a sustainability component.” Ms Elvy said she would be based out of Weipa and spend time at Gove each month. “I’ll spend between one and two weeks per month in Gove and fly to Brisbane on an as-needed basis,” she said. A keen runner, Ms Elvy

said Weipa locals were likely to see her at parkrun from time to time and most definitely at the Weipa Running Festival. “I’ve already flicked the flyer to my cousins who are keen runners,” she said. Weipa locals hoping to see big changes from management shouldn’t hold their breath. Ms Elvy said she was across some of the big issues facing Weipa, including normalisation and a shortage of child care, but wasn’t afraid to say that they were not at the top of her priority list. “The only thing I want to say (about normalisation) is that it is a tri-party agreement and it’s going to take a while. It’s not one of the first things I’m seeking to understand,” she said.

“We’ve got the WCCCA’s 20-year anniversary this year and there are some things I’m trying to understand quicker.” Asked what her priorities were, Ms Elvy was ready to fire off with a list. “The things that I’m really looking at for a start is safety first. With safety and stableness comes production ... doing that in a reliable and predictable manner,” she said. “Capability is another. We need to make sure our people have a strong skill set and help with their development. “And culture. I want to build respect for the workplace, respect for the people, the environment and our stakeholders.” Ms Elvy will be joined by her husband in Weipa, while their son is in Brisbane studying at university.

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Sabai rolls up sleeve to stay safe COVID-19 vaccinations on Saibai Island in the Torres Strait wrapped up on Friday with about 80 per cent of the eligible adult population vaccinated. The Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service COVID–19 vaccination team was on the island since Monday and vaccinated 165 people out of a total eligible adult population of about 200 people. TCHHS director of medical services Dr Marlow Coates said the turnout was tremendous. “I’ve been inspired the Saibai Island community’s interest and their level of engagement with the vaccination program,” he said. “They’ve been coming in, asking good questions about the vaccine and the vaccination, deciding if it’s right for them and then making the decision to be vaccinated to protect themselves, their families

Saibai Island’s George Morseau receives his vaccine from Alison Wolf.

and the whole community. Our whole team has enjoyed this week on Saibai and working with the community.” The vaccination team will now move to Dauan Island, followed by Boigu Island.

TCHHS executive director of medical services Dr Tony Brown said the next ports of call would be Thursday, Horn and Hammond islands after Easter. “Subsequently, the teams will progress to other islands and to

Bamaga and the Northern Peninsula Area and we will advise the communities as we finalise the dates for their visits. “We’ve been very impressed by the turnout on Saibai and I have no doubt other communities in the Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula Area also will be keen to be vaccinated.” Dr Brown said the vaccination program was being delivered by trained immunisation teams to each community. “Rather than using a hub delivery system, we are delivering COVID-19 vaccinations in our region through outreach vaccination teams to each individual community,” he said. “The vaccination program will be delivered either at local community halls or at the local primary healthcare centre in each commu-

nity, whichever is most effective. “Everyone will need to have two doses of vaccine for full protection, with the doses to be several weeks apart. Information will be provided to staff and community members as to when they will need to return for their second vaccination.” Dr Brown said once the Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula Area communities had been vaccinated, the rollout would begin on Cape York. “We expect to start the Cape York rollout at the end of April or beginning of May, with Weipa and Cooktown being the first locations visited and then other communities progressively through into mid or late May,’’ he said. “We will publicise the proposed dates for the rollout on Cape York closer to the expected start date.”

Nominate a community RFDS hero for awards DO you know a community member from Cape York who in some way supported the Royal Flying Doctor Service last year? If so, the RFDS wants to hear from you. The Flying Doctor last week launched the 2021 RFDS Local Hero Awards, providing an opportunity to recognise selfless members of the community who have gone above and beyond to help others. RFDS chief executive officer Meredith Staib invited Queenslanders to nominate unsung heroes who had helped the service. “Nominees may be a volunteer or fundraiser, a first responder who assisted in an emergency until the RFDS could arrive, or a healthcare advocate who promotes better health outcomes for people in their community,” she said. “These people are often the lifeblood of their communities and we want to learn more about them. “Our 2021 Queensland Hero will receive a $7500 grant, courtesy of Ergon Energy Retail, to promote a healthcare initiative in their community.” In launching the awards, Ms Staib said the RFDS relished the opportunity to show appreciation for the generosity of volunteers. “Award recipients can be nominated from each of the nine RFDS Queensland Base regions – Brisbane, Bundaberg, Cairns, Charleville, Longreach, Mount Isa, Rockhampton, Roma and Townsville,” she said. Ergon Energy retail executive general manager Ayesha Razzaq said the business was committed to supporting the work of regional Queenslanders across the state and is looking forward to again recognising the outstanding work of so many quiet achievers. “This is our sixth year as a proud partner of the Local Hero Awards and every year that goes by, we are more impressed by the nominations,” Ms Razzaq said. “I’m really looking forward to hearing who this year’s overall winner is and how they’ll use the grant to help improve community health outcomes in their local area.” Nominations are now open. Visit www.rfdslocalhero.com.au

Monday, March 22, 2021 – Cape York Weekly – Page 5

What’s Long-range vessel helps On? VMR pick up Weipa duo By MATT NICHOLLS

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TWO Weipa blokes spent a night on the bank of the Norman River near Aurukun after their boat broke down last week. The men had enough phone reception to tell family and friends they were safe and opted to spend the night in hope of being able to repair the motor in the morning. However, when their attempts to fix it were thwarted, they called emergency services to lend a hand. Around 1.30pm Wednesday, Volunteer Marine Rescue Weipa was advised by Thursday Island

Water Police that their assistance was required. A three-man crew comprising Steve Rehn, Tony White and Bill Garnaut prepared the boat for the rescue. In driving rain, Marine 1 was in the water at 2.15pm and made the 32 nautical mile trip south. “Sea conditions were very good however rain was constant for most of the trip and for a fair proportion of the trip the visibility was about 50 metres,” Mr Garnaut said. “Thankfully, the weather cleared at the Norman River.” As the rescue was made at low tide, the stranded boat had

to be dragged back to the water before being able to be towed. Steve Rehn showed his prowess as a cowboy and was able to launch a monkey’s fist throw line right on target. “Having a larger boat with a long fuel range certainly makes a difference in remote areas,” Mr Garnaut said. “In this situation, having a powerful vessel prevented people wading in waist deep muddy water where there are plenty of crocodiles.” Conditions eased for the trip home and the stranded duo were back at Evans Landing by 5.30pm.

VMR Gulf Zone president Peter Graham praised the Weipa squadron. “All these guys were going about their normal lives and when there is a problem they get in and help out,” he said. “They cover an area from Edward River to Cotterell River, which stretches nearly 230 nautical miles. “To have that vessel back at the ramp four hours after activation speaks for itself. “With the proposed changes as part of the Blue Water Review it is important that the Queensland government maintains this level.”

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Do you have an upcoming community function? Forward brief function details, location and time to: design@capeyorkweekly.com.au and we will add your function to the What’s On? column

Weipa Community Care has put together a massive raffle to raise funds for its Emergency Relief Fund, which has the backing of local authorities.

Weipa Community Care needs your help A FUNDRAISER to support vulnerable people in our community needs local support. Weipa Community Care has put together a massive raffle for its Emergency Relief Fund and now needs to sell 115 tickets to make a big difference. “We have the support of the business community because they were so generous, but now we need to sell the tickets,” Wei-

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pa Community Care’s Sue Bowman said last week. “We are only selling 115 to give everyone a great chance of winning a prize. There are 10 prizes in total and five of them are worth more than $1000 and five are worth more than $100.” Ms Bowman said the fundraiser would directly support local people who might slip through the cracks.

“This is mostly for Weipa people who need a bit of help,” she said. “It could be someone who has lost their job and is struggling to pay rent, or needs to get an air fare out because of another problem. “The Emergency Relief Fund is used to help those people who might not be eligible for some of the government support that is

available to Indigenous people and other funding avenues.” Tickets can be purchased at Weipa Community Care and the raffle will be drawn once all 115 tickets are sold. “The Emergency Relief Fund has the support of local police, health workers and other agencies,” Ms Bowman said. “We can’t support some people without this fund.”

Thousands of tourists travel to the NPA every year to experience the region’s beauty.

The walk to the Tip of Cape York is a rite of passage for most tourists visiting the Peninsula.

The Commonwealth Games baton made an appearance at the Tip in 2018.

Iconic location won’t be closed, however new amenities required By MATT NICHOLLS

A SCARE campaign driven by the Cairns Post to deter tourists from visiting Cape York will fall flat after Traditional Owners said they did not want to close the Tip to southern visitors. However, tourism operators are asking for strong leadership on the matter to make sure that both the Tip is kept open and that better facilities are created to cater for the growth in visitor numbers. Punsand Bay camp ground owner Rod Colquhoun said he agreed with Traditional Owners that there needed to be better facilities at the entry to the Tip, which attracts thousands of tourists each year. “Already we have had 50 cancellations of accommodation and numerous phone calls about the closure of the Tip,” he said.

“If it is closed for any length of time there would be a big economic loss for everybody, including the local council which will lose thousands of dollars on the Jardine River ferry.” Mr Colquhoun took aim at Michael Solomon, the chairman of Gudang/Yadhaykenu Aboriginal Corporation, who was the only source quoted by the Cairns Post. “What gives him the right to cause huge disruption to tourists from across Australia,” he said. In an interview, Mr Solomon confirmed the closure was about money. “People love to go to the Tip of Australia (but) we don’t see any money,” he said. Several Traditional Owners spoke with Cape York Weekly last week to say that Mr Solomon did not represent their views.

Several NPA businesses would close if there was not an annual tourist season, ultimately hurting the communities. NPA mayor Patricia Yusia said the council had not been notified of any closures. “We, in the Northern Peninsula Area have always welcomed tourists to our communities,” she said. “The council has an agreement in place with the Traditional Owners through the Apudthama Land Trust to allow access to Apudthama land. “We acknowledge the majority of tourists are respectful of the environment and the traditional lands when they visit the area but would like to remind all visitors to continue to do that. “My council has not yet received any advice or correspondence from Gudang/Yadhaykenu.”

Loyalty Beach camp ground owner Patsy Lennox called on Member for Cook Cynthia Lui to get a guarantee from Traditional Owners that the Tip wouldn’t be closed without notice. “We need a leader to sort this mess out,” she said. “There’s no objection to putting in toilets and a car park, I think everyone can understand that, but we can’t have it closed.” Ms Lennox said everyone in the NPA relied on tourism, whether they knew it or not. “We’re getting a lot of people ring up and cancel based on a story which I don’t think is true,” she said. “It’s really upset a lot of people but as far as I know people will still be able to go to the Tip. “But we need to get it sorted before more people get scared off

from coming. We’re expecting a massive year for tourism.” Long-time Cape York tourism operator John Charlton said there were positives to the story, even if it wasn’t true. “It brings attention to the fact that the whole place up here has been subject to huge amount of visitiation and no real infrastructure to support it,” he said. “I feel like (the Traditional Owners) don’t know how to go about lobbying to get the support and funding that’s required to provide those amenities.” Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the state government would happily have the conversation. “We are always happy to talk to anyone looking for further amenities, we’re very happy to get those discussions going as soon as possible,” she said last week.

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Clontarf recruiting local students A PROGRAM targeting Indigenous boys for engagement has launched in the Cape. The Clontarf Foundation will base itself out of Western Cape College and look to recruit around 100 boys from Weipa and Napranum for its program. “We target boys from Year 5 through to Year 12,” Weipa academy director Christian Philpot said in Napranum last week. “We start at 7am before school every day and do training sessions. “It might be rugby league, it might be other sport, but it’s funbased and not competitive. “Every day is different.” The Clontarf Foundation exists to improve the education, disci-

pline, life skills, self esteem and employment prospects of young Indigenous men. Mr Philpot said a new building was being constructed at Western Cape College to accommodate his team and allow for students to engage with Clontarf staff and mentors throughout the school day. “That’s a big part of our program. We don’t expect the boys to be angels but we do expect improvement,” he said. “The results around Australia speak for themslves and we are excited about bringing Clontaf to the Western Cape.” Mr Philpot will be joined by Aaron Gemmell, who was recruited from Trinity Bay High School.

The Clontaf Foundation was at Napranum last week speaking to community members about the program. Pictured (from left): Western Cape College principal Peter Linnehan, Clontarf director Christian Philpot, WCC associate principal Dan Tonon, Suzanne Currin from the Department of Education, and Clontarf officer Aaron Gemmell.

Bowls club recognised at awards WEIPA has the third best bowls club in Queensland after scoring strongly at the 2021 Clubs Queensland Awards for Excellence last week. The Weipa Bowls Club placed in three categories, including third place for overall best bowls club. Operations manager Tahneesia Maunsell said the club was also second in boutique club of the year, and was third in an education category. “We are so proud and thrilled to be recognised,” she said. “It says a lot about our hardworking staff and members that Weipa can compete with clubs in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast.” Weipa Bowls Club manager Tania Iti flew down for the gala awards and said she received a lot of positive feedback about the awards. “Hopefully we get people coming up to Weipa to check us out,” she said.

Ambassadors think outside box for raffle

Page 8 – Cape York Weekly – Monday, March 22, 2021

HERE’S something you don’t see every day, a fundraiser involving chicken poop. The junior Weipa Bullride ambassadors have come up with an inventive way to raise money – Chicken Poop Bingo. The youngsters were selling squares at the Heritage Shopping Centre on Saturday, with the selected chook to do its business at the Easter Markets to determine winners. The community was quick to snap up tickets ahead of the must-watch event.

Napranum women going strong STRONG women make strong communities and Napranum is no exception. Around a dozen women from the Cape community gathered at the foreshore on Friday for an International Women’s Day brunch. Organised by domestic and family violence support worker Irad Kris-Kaivei, the Napranum gathering resembled a feast and gave women the chance to have a social outing and discuss community issues.

RACE DAY – Sunday 25th July 2021 Marathon | Half Marathon | 10km 5km | Fun Run Grand Slams VIRTUAL EVENT 11th-24th July 2021 www.weiparunningfestival.org.au Free registration for all Rio Tinto employees & immediate family until 31/03/2021 Monday, March 22, 2021 – Cape York Weekly – Page 9

Rio Tinto taking on new students RIO Tinto is opening the doors for the next generation of graduates and vacation students. Applications for the Rio Tinto Australia 2021 Vacation Student Program and 2022 Graduate Program are now open via the Rio Tinto Careers website. Rio Tinto is looking for graduates and students Australia-wide from a diverse range of higher education degrees. These include science-related degrees such as engineering, geoscience and environmental science, technology-related degrees such as data science, software, computing and robotics, humanities degrees such as arts, law, health and safety, and all types of business degrees. The 2021 vacation student program is open to university students in their second or third year of their degree. This is a great opportunity for students to experience day-to-day life at Rio Tinto and can be pathways into graduate programs at the end of the program. Vacation roles will span 12 weeks from December 2021 to February 2022. The 2022 graduate program is open to students in their final year of study or who have recently graduated. The two-year program is aimed at developing graduates and providing opportunities to build on their skills in preparation for future leadership roles.

Heidi Burl conducts testing as part of Rio Tinto’s graduate program.

Environment graduate Heidi Burl enjoyed her stint during the program.

Through a series of interconnected learning and development activities and tools, graduates will be set up for success for their future careers at Rio Tinto. Current environment graduate Heidi Burl, said: “Taking the leap to relocate from Perth to Weipa as part of my graduate program has

been such a great decision. I’ve been so lucky to get such a wide variety of experiences allowing me to apply my knowledge from uni into my operational role so far, both out in the field and behind the desk. “I would highly recommend the Rio Tinto graduate program to

anyone looking to join the resource industry, broaden their experience and be able to make lasting impacts with the support and backing of your team.” Michelle Elvy, the general manager of Rio Tinto bauxite, said; “These programs are great pathways for the upcoming generation of graduates and vocation students looking for the next step in their careers. “I encourage anyone looking

into these programs to check out the virtual campus talk to find out more about what Rio Tinto can offer.” University students considering one of these programs are encouraged to join a virtual campus talk from the graduate talent team on Thursday, March 25 at noon. You can find the sign-up link on the Rio Tinto Weipa Facebook Page. Applications for both programs are open until March 31.

Keith Wikmunea and Garry Namponan show Rachel Hunter and Di Farmer how they make carvings.

Government champions get a taste of Aurukun culture

Page 10 – Cape York Weekly – Monday, March 22, 2021

AURUKUN’S ministerial champion Di Farmer, along with department champion Rachel Hunter were treated to a cultural feast in the community last week. Keith Wikmunea and Garry Namponan showed the visitors how they create their much-loved camp dog carvings called ku’. The government champions were then treated to a traditional performance led by Elder Nelson Wolmby, an Apalech dancer from the Wik lands. Meetings were held with Aurukun Shire Council and with the community about issues requiring attention.

Minister Di Farmer with Aurukun mayor Keri Tamwoy.

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09:35

09:55

Pormpuraaw

Cairns

11:15

14:00

Cairns

Kowanyama

15:15