New payment into the Noongar Boodja Trust
Last week the state government made its third payment into the Noongar Boodja Trust. This is the third of twelve annual payments of $50 million into the Future Fund and $10 million into the Operations Fund.
The payments are increasing each year to keep up with inflation. The first payment of $60 million was made in 2021, just after the Settlement took effect. A second payment of $63 million was made last year, and this year’s payment was $68 million.
These payments to the Noongar people are guaranteed for the next twelve years as part of the South West Native Title Settlement.
So what do these payments mean for us?
The payments are part of the Settlement, along with land, housing and other resources. The payments are made into two different funds, which are designed to provide both short-term and long-term financial sustainability to the Noongar Nation.
The Operations Fund will be used to support the work of the seven Noongar corporations for the first twelve years. This work includes social and economic programs, land management and advocacy on behalf of our people and community.
The Noongar Future Fund will remain untouched for these twelve years, giving it time to grow large enough to ensure that our Noongar Nation will have economic independence and sustainability, so that our work can continue long into the future.
The entire Noongar Boodja Trust, which includes these two funds, is protected by an 'independent trustee' for the first twelve years. The Noongar people appointed Perpetual as this independent trustee.
The Noongar Advisory Company (NAC) was created to provide important cultural context and understanding to Perpetual when it makes decisions about the Trust, so that Noongar views are always central to every decision that gets made.
Over these twelve years, Perpetual will transfer more and more responsibility to the NAC, preparing them to become the 'dedicated trustee’, with full responsibility for the Trust.
This means that the NAC will become the sole trustee for Noongar Boodja Trust, so that when it's used to provide social, cultural and economic benefits to the Noongar people for generations to come, all decisions will be completely in Noongar control.
Share your ideas with us
The Wagyl Kaip Southern Noongar regional corporation is ready to start its next phase of work, which will include hiring staff, developing strategies for social and economic programs to benefit the community, inspecting and accepting WKSN land into the Noongar Land Estate, and advocating on behalf of WKSN people and community.
It is important to us that all of our work reflect the priorities and needs of WKSN people, so first we want to take this time to listen and learn from you.
What do you believe are the biggest challenges for Wagyl Kaip Southern Noongar people, community and boodja? What are your hopes for your regional corporation?
Please click this link to share your thoughts with us.
If you have any questions please email us directly at kaya@wagylkaip.org.au.