Rio Tinto acknowledges interim report from Australian Parliamentary Committee
December 09 2020 - 4:10AM
Business Wire
Rio Tinto acknowledges the release today of the Joint Standing
Committee on Northern Australia’s interim report following its
inquiry into the destruction of rockshelters at Juukan Gorge on the
land of the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura people (PKKP) in the
Pilbara region of Western Australia.
Rio Tinto reiterates its apology to the Traditional Owners, the
PKKP, and remains adamant that the destruction of the Juukan
rockshelters should not have occurred. The destruction of the
Juukan rock shelters was wrong; it should not have happened and it
does not reflect the values that Rio TInto aspires to.
Simon Thompson, Chairman of Rio Tinto, said “We recogise the
destruction of the Juukan rockshelters caused significant pain to
the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura people and we are working very
hard to progress a remedy with them.
“As a business, we are committed to learning from this event to
ensure the destruction of heritage sites of such exceptional
archaeological and cultural significance never occurs again. We
have made important changes to the way we manage cultural heritage
sites and our relationships with Traditional Owners, including a
commitment to modernise our agreements. We recognise the importance
of ensuring relationships with Traditional Owners are built on
partnerships based on mutual benefit, respect and trust.”
Since the destruction of the rock shelters, Rio Tinto has worked
with the PKKP on a rehabilitation programme for the Juukan 1 and
Juukan 2 rock shelters and, with the PKKP, is assessing ways to
protect the area for the future. This includes extending a mining
moratorium around the Juukan Gorge and establishing a purpose-built
facility to store artefacts discovered during heritage preservation
works.
Rio Tinto has also introduced changes to ensure heritage sites
of exceptional significance, like the Juukan Gorge rockshelters,
are protected and preserved. These include:
- Reassessing any activities that have the potential to impact
heritage sites, with an immediate focus on locations that could be
impacted over the next 18 to 24 months. We will continue to review
mine plans to ensure the protection of sites of exceptional
cultural value and have increased monitoring of operational impacts
that have the potential to impact heritage sites.
- Executive accountability for impacts to heritage sites where
avoidance is not possible. This includes enhanced governance with
all approvals to impact sites directly or indirectly made on a
risk-managed basis by Rio Tinto Iron Ore chief executive. Where
appropriate, decisions will be referred to the recently established
Heritage Sub-Committee of the Rio Tinto Executive Committee and to
the Board.
- A commitment to modernise our agreements with Traditional
Owners. This will take time to ensure the process involves
meaningful participation of Traditional Owners. In the meantime,
Rio Tinto continues to work with Traditional Owners under existing
agreements and has:
- increased engagement regarding
current and proposed plans for mining activities;
- confirmed that Traditional
Owners are not restricted from raising concerns about cultural
heritage matters with anyone, or from applying for statutory
protection of any cultural heritage sites;
- Introduced mechanisms into our
approach to respond better to new information that may emerge about
cultural heritage sites;
- Committed to realising more
impactful economic and social benefits.
- Creation of a new standalone Communities and Social Performance
Area of Expertise, which is aligned with the existing Health,
Safety, Environment (HSE) functions, reporting to Mark Davies,
Group Executive Safety, Technical and Projects and a member of the
Executive Committee. In addition, we have strengthened the
operational leadership of relationships with Traditional Owners and
we are strengthening our business-wide cultural competency
programme to build awareness and understanding.
- A $50 million investment to increase employment opportunities
for Indigenous Australians through our business and enhance
Indigenous leadership in our Australian operations.
- The creation of a new role, appointing a senior Indigenous
leader as chief advisor, Indigenous Affairs who has a direct
reporting line to the chief executive. This role is responsible for
facilitating discussions with Traditional Owners.
- Ongoing consultation with Traditional Owners about a proposal
to establish an Indigenous Advisory Group to help the company
better incorporate Traditional Owners’ views and concerns into its
operations.
Rio Tinto welcomed the opportunity to participate in the Joint
Standing Committee’s Inquiry and will review the Committee’s
recommendations in coming days.
Follow @RioTinto on Twitter
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201209005418/en/
Contacts media.enquiries@riotinto.com riotinto.com
Media Relations, United Kingdom Illtud Harri M +44 7920 503
600 David Outhwaite T +44 20 7781 1623 M +44 7787 597 493 Media
Relations, Americas Matthew Klar T +1 514 608 4429 Media
Relations, Asia Grant Donald T +65 6679 9290 M +65 9722 6028
Media Relations, Australia Jonathan Rose T +61 3 9283 3088 M
+61 447 028 913 Matt Chambers T +61 3 9283 3087 M +61 433 525 739
Jesse Riseborough T +61 8 6211 6013 M +61 436 653 412 Investor
Relations, United Kingdom Menno Sanderse T: +44 20 7781 1517 M:
+44 7825 195 178 David Ovington T +44 20 7781 2051 M +44 7920 010
978 Clare Peever M: +44 7788 967 877 Investor Relations,
Australia Natalie Worley T +61 3 9283 3063 M +61 409 210 462
Amar Jambaa T +61 3 9283 3627 M +61 4 7286 5948 Rio Tinto
plc 6 St James’s Square London SW1Y 4AD United Kingdom T +44 20
7781 2000 Registered in England No. 719885 Rio Tinto Limited
Level 7, 360 Collins Street Melbourne 3000 Australia T +61 3 9283
3333 Registered in Australia ABN 96 004 458 404
Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO)
Historical Stock Chart
From Apr 2024 to May 2024
Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO)
Historical Stock Chart
From May 2023 to May 2024