The Wire

In another mining sector conflict, more than 750 Aboriginal representatives of traditional owners’ organisations in the Pilbara region of WA have called on mining giant Rio Tinto to improve the way it deals with Indigenous land owners. At a meeting held over the weekend, Rio Tinto’s local subsidiary, Pilbara Iron, was criticised for failing to genuinely engage with traditional owners. Yamatji Pilbara Native Title Services Executive Director Simon Hawkins says because Pilbara Iron has failed to meet its own social responsibility standards, traditional owners are losing trust in the company.