Guide to s42 ‘on country’ meetings: Information and suggestions for your s42 ‘on country’ meeting

1. Guide to s42 ‘on country’ meetings: Information and suggestions for your s42 ‘on country’ meeting DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRY AND RESOURCES

2. Negotiations with Traditional Owners • Negotiations with Traditional Owners to seek an agreement and have access to their country are crucial. • An authorised representative from your company is to attend the s42 ‘on country’ meetings; • These meetings are to present your s41 proposal, summarising the exploration and mining activities; • These meetings are held in various locations, including remote areas, as well as in community or regional offices.

3. Land Councils • The Land Council will inform you in writing of any scheduled s42 ‘on country’ meetings; • Applicants are liable for costs associated with conducting s42 ‘on country’ meetings with the traditional owners; • The Land Council represents the interests and aspirations of the traditional owners.

4. Your s42 presentation guide The following information is a suggested guide to assist you with your presentation at the s42 ‘on country’ meeting.

5. Presentation Tips • Use large posters with photographs showing previous exploration techniques and rehabilitation methods; • Have an assistant or use a stand to hold posters; • Send the same person to each meeting to build relationships; • Allow silence and frequent breaks in meetings.

6. Presentation Tips • Speak slowly, do not use jargon, do not technical terms and keep it simple as English may be the traditional owners 4th or 5th language; • Don’t directly disagree with the Traditional Owners; • Research and respect cultural differences and sacred site sensitivities.

7. Presentation Tips • There may be time allocations to complete your presentation within; • Be prepared for last minute cancellations due to a death, funeral, ceremonial services or sorry business; • Be prepared for your meeting as it has an impact on the outcome.

8. Your introduction • Thank the Traditional Owners for the meeting; • Explain that you would like to reach an agreement to explore their land; and • It is important that you state that if they agree to exploration, then they agree to mining as well.

9. Who are you? • Give an overview of your company, including: • A brief structure and history; • Where you have explored and mined; • What other tenements you have; and • Your company’s involvement in the Territory.

10. What are you looking for? • Commodity • It is crucial that you discuss the same commodities as in your s41 application; • Do not exclude commodities mentioned in your s41 application or include other commodities not mentioned in your s41 application; • Explain the process of mining and how you will manage this process e.g. how would you stop chemicals getting in the rivers.

11. How will you care for their country? Sacred Sites Mention the importance of sacred sites and that you will talk with traditional owners before going on their land.

12. How will you care for their country? • Explain how you would manage the environment (plants/animals); • Explain how you will obey government rules and regulations; • Explain your duty of care (safety to traditional owners working for you); • Outline better ways to care for their land eg building roads.

13. Talking with Traditional Owners • Before you go on their land, say you will: • Work together, talk about where you want to go and look on their country; • Respect them and seek their approval, make sure it is ok with the right people; • Ask for Traditional Owners to show you around their country.

14. Where are you going to look? • Use maps, not Google Earth, because some Traditional Owners may question if you have already been over the area; • Have maps showing your ELA/EPAs and colour copies, preferably A3 size or larger to hand out to participants.

15. How are you going to explore? • Talk about: • How you will gather samples; • What tools/equipment you will use; • Types of vehicles or aircraft; • How many people will be on the land; • Employment opportunities for Traditional Owners; • Any photos showing the exploration activities are useful.

16. Work Program • Explain your work program over the life of the licence/permit; • Indicate that the work program needs Land Council and Traditional Owner approval before exploration begins; • Discuss work program timeframe: • eg: 1st year program – look for and gather samples • 2nd year program – research • 3rd – 6th year programs – drill rigs

17. Work Program • Explain that you will talk with the Traditional Owners about where and when you will set up a camp site and seek their approval; • Talk about water access and usage; • Talk about cleaning up rubbish; • Explain types of accommodation e.g. tents, caravans or dongas.

18. Rehabilitation • Explain how you will restore their country when you finish exploring: • Fill in drill holes; • Spread dirt and trees • back over the land • Remove rubbish • Fix up tracks; and • Rehabilitate

19. Mining • Explain the possibilities of a mine. • Talk to the Traditional Owners and get approval from them about your mining plans; • Explain the type of mine you would use e.g. open cut, underground; • How you will fix up their country; and • What the benefits are for Traditional Owners e.g. jobs, training, community development and roads.

20. Obeying the Government and Land Council • You will seek approval from the Northern Territory Government (NTG) for your exploration program; • You will comply with the NTG’s rules and regulations for exploration and mining; • The NTG will monitor what you are doing (compliance); and • You will submit your work program to the Land Councils for their approval.

21. Thank you For further information please contact Peter Lake: Tel: 08 8999 6357 Email: NTALRUnit@nt.gov.au