The Wire

Mining company Santos is under investigation for breaches of Queensland’s Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act after failing to report their discovery of human remains near Charleville, in southern Queensland. The remains were found last year, but traditional owners were not told until just last week. The Wangkumarra people have lodged a formal complaint saying the area in the Cooper Basin may be the site of an Aboriginal massacre. Wangkumarra spokesperson Hope Ebsworth is outraged. Bob Weatherall is the Director of repatriation body Bubbunj. He says Santos has breached a number of laws and should be charged accordingly, but he’s sceptical about the protection offered by Queensland’s Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act.