Wednesday, 15 May 2024

 David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (19:06): (904) I am pleased to rise in the adjournment and seek some action by the Minister for Energy and Resources. This relates to a so-called historic profit-sharing arrangement between the Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation and the Canadian gold company Agnico Eagle over the Fosterville mine near Bendigo that has created, according to a number of people who are very significant players in the minerals industry in Victoria, a significant future baseline precedent for future investment in the state of Victoria. I pay tribute to the work that Fosterville does, but disappointingly this has been done with a lack of detail about the mechanics and specifics of the signed agreement. There has been no government notice or consultation on this matter, and many in the industry – stakeholders – have not been talked to by the minister, the minister’s office, the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action or indeed Resources Victoria. I should say, this is best directed to the minister for resources. The industry says it was blindsided by this development and that that is an understatement.

I heard what Minister D’Ambrosio said at the Yoorrook Justice Commission on 22 April, where she talked at length about benefit-sharing operations with the traditional owner groups and the cost that that was likely to impose on Victorians. Traditionally since 1851, resources in Victoria have been owned by the Crown and have been shared through royalties with all Victorians no matter what their racial or ethnic or other background is, so what I am seeking here are the details of this agreement between the Dja Dja Wurrung and the Agnico group, including the compensation metrics and who was consulted about this. Specifically, we are seeking the release of the agreement.

The minister could bring the resources sector and the Victorian community into her knowledge base with this. If she or another minister that she is aware of has a copy of that agreement, it should be released. We should be able to see what has been struck, and we should be able to understand the mechanism by which that was done – who was consulted, how this was undertaken. I mean, the idea that secret deals can be done behind the scenes and pay-offs occur in these sorts of ways concerns many Victorians. Release the document and explain how it was arrived at.