Injunction sought to stop secret reburial at Mungo
An injunction is to be lodged against a decision by Minister for the Environment, Sussan Ley to rebury ancestral remains, including Mungo Man and Mungo Lady, in 26 secret unmarked graves within the Willandra Heritage Area.
Local Ngiyampaa man, Mark Brettschneider is the grandson of respected Aboriginal Elder, Roy Kennedy who helped write the three-phase plan for the reburial of these remains with appropriate cultural memorials.
Mr Brettschneider (pictured) said this plan, endorsed by Mutthi Mutthi and Ngiyampaa elders and supported by no less than 18,000 others has been ignored.
He said the decision by the Minister and the Aboriginal Advisory Group (AAG) was against anything the traditional owners wanted.
“The first step of the three-phase plan is for the remains of Mungo Man and Mungo Lady should be reburied in a secure manner where they came from, and at a known location with some form of marking such as a burial mound,” he said.
“The reburial report by NSW National Parks and Wildlife, endorsed by Minister Ley goes against anything the traditional owners wanted.
“The Minister recently announced that the remains will be put in 26 different unmarked spots. That’s not in our tradition. In no shape of form is this in the three-phase plan.
“There has been no broad consultation outside the AAG. We, the traditional owners have not been consulted by Minister Ley either.”
Mhutti Mhutti man, Jason Kelly said the AAG has dismissed the holders of the Aboriginal lore, being elders past and present.
“The Minister and the AAG have chosen to get rid of the Aboriginal problem by silencing all others and denying free prior and informed consent,” Mr Kelly said.
“There will be an injunction lodged.”
Mark Brettschneider said plans announced by Minister Ley to rebury Mungo Man have been made without proper consultation.
