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Article

15 Nov 2013

Author:
Oliver Balch, Guardian (UK)

The mismatch between indigenous communities and mining wealth (Australia)

Utopia…offers a searing critique of what [journalist and filmmaker John] Pilger describes as Australia's "hidden secret"…The juxtaposition between Australia's affluent classes, buoyed by a prolonged mining boom, and the grudging poverty of its native populations crops up throughout the film…mining is the "main reason" for a 78% increase in the country's terms of trade between 2004 and 2011…[T]he International Council for Mining and Metals (ICMM)…issued a position statement on indigenous rights five years ago…[and] calls on companies to show "mutual respect" and deliver "mutual benefit"…BHP Billiton announced an AUS$10m education fund to finance 90 scholarships for indigenous students. The likes of Rio Tinto, Anglo American and Gold Corp all boast similar initiatives…At least three major obstacles stand in the way. First is the question of commitment…The second major barrier is that of historical context…The final, and arguably most significant, obstacle is cultural…