UK to pay share of Aboriginal land claim
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.THE UK and Australian governments are poised to reach agreement to end the eight-year dispute over the cost of cleaning up British nuclear test sites on Aboriginal territory, writes Patricia Wynn Davies.
Two days of talks involving Douglas Hurd, the Foreign Secretary, Malcolm Rifkind, the Secretary of State for Defence, and Australian ministers and officials, finally extracted agreement by Britain to bear part of a compensation claim by the dispossessed Aboriginal population.
The deal is subject to ratification by the Australian cabinet. Gareth Evans, the foreign minister, and Simon Crean, the minister for primary industries and energy, are believed to have demanded that Britain pay up to half the claim - a move long resisted.
Pressure on Canberra, directed in turn on London, began to mount as Tjarutja Aborigines became increasingly frustrated over the long-running diplomatic dispute over who should meet their multi-million pound compensation claim over the land they traditionally owned at Maralinga, South Australia, where weapons were tested from 1956 to 1963.
They claim 45 million Australian dollars ( pounds 20m) compensation for loss of access to the land, and Adollars 225m ( pounds 100m) for tackling the radioactive debris. An earlier British offer amounted to just pounds 5m. Yesterday's was considerably more than that, the Foreign Office said.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments