THE Bathurst Wiradyuri Elders and Traditional Owners group chose not to speak to Bathurst Regional Council during the consultation period for the new Aboriginal liaison officer position.
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Council's 2020-21 budget, for the first time, included an allocation of funding to employ a full-time Aboriginal liaison officer.
The aim of the job is to help build a better relationship between council and the aboriginal community.
The budget allowed $120,000 for the position, covering the employee's wages and costs of tasks that are carried out within the role, such as surveys or community meetings.
General manager David Sherley prepared a report for the last meeting of council to provide an update of council's key activities relating to Aboriginal culture heritage.
The report included a table of community engagement, which noted meetings in September this year with the Aboriginal Working Group and Bathurst Local Aboriginal Land Council about the new position.
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At the meeting, deputy mayor Ian North asked for confirmation on whether or not the Wiradyuri elders had refused to be part of the consultation.
"We made contact with the traditional owners on two occasions to meet with them to discuss the position," Mr Sherley said.
"We sent them the relevant paperwork but we were unable to organise meetings with them to discuss the aboriginal liaison position."
Cr North then asked if "discussions are on the backburner" until council enters into an Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA).
The National Native Title Tribunal website says an ILUA is a voluntary agreement between a native title group and others about the use of land and waters and that these agreements allow people to negotiate flexible, pragmatic agreements to suit their particular circumstances.
When registered, ILUAs bind all parties and all native title holders to the terms of the agreement.
"That was the indication at the time, that they did not wish to talk to us concerning the aboriginal liaison officer until an ILUA discussion had been held," Mr Sherley said.
"I have to say, though, they have engaged with us since that time with regards to the stormwater harvesting project."
Mr Sherley's report also includes information about the stormwater harvesting project.
It said council had engaged consultants to prepare an Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Assessment (ACHA) for the stage 1b ponds and a due diligence assessment and ACHA investigations for the proposed stormwater harvesting scheme pipeline.
A draft ACHA is nearing completion.
