Perth Voice Interactive

A SUPPORTER of Aboriginal activists will receive $966.70 in compensation from Perth city council for items confiscated last year from a Heirisson Island camp.

The mediated settlement looks likely to pave the way for many more compensation claims: five truckloads of property was taken in nine raids between March and August by Perth city council officers trying to disrupt people’s attempts to camp at the site.

Five months ago Matagarup group supporter Diane Niyati applied to the magistrate’s court for the return of items she’d donated to the group, including blankets, which had been confiscated by authorities.

Under the WA local government act confiscated goods are required to be returned within seven days. As part of a mediation arrangement Perth council was directed to return items but when Ms Niyati visited the storage facility her items were gone, and the place was full of ruined tents and other property in poor condition.

Jennifer Kaeshagen has been assisting with the claims and says 10 more are pending already. With this win she predicts many more will be lodged.

Ms Kaeshagen says “about 80 First Nations people” remain on the island, many homeless, who are there for activism purposes and just for a place to stay. They contend federal laws recognising their historic connection to Matagarup permits them to stay, irrespective of the council’s bylaws prohibiting camping.

Despite being given two working days’ notice the council’s ratepayer-funded media team again failed to respond to the Perth Voice’s questions, continuing a pattern of refusing to engage in journalism enquiries that are not publicity driven.

by DAVID BELL