Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, Senator Conroy. My question is about the development of the Solomon Firetail mines by the Fortescue Metals Group and the protection of Yindjibarndi sites in the Pilbara in Western Australia. On 11 March 2011, the Yindjibarndi people were notified of the discovery of a cache of skeletal remains in FMG's Firetail mining priority area. The Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation elders visited this site and confirmed the bones were human. On 24 August and on 3 October more remains were discovered. When did the minister first become aware of the existence of these sites and what actions did he take when he became aware of these remains, if he in fact was aware of the remains?