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PYRTON FACTFILE
a CHRONOLOGY 1998-2000

The Pyrton site at 60 Lord St, Eden Hill is a 35 hectare site on the Swan River, formerly used by the Disability Services. It is part of a Registered Site of Aboriginal Significance and adjacent to the Swan Valley Nyungah community.

May 1998: The public heard first word of the Pyrton Prison Proposal.

June 29 1999: The WA Planning Commission rejected the prison proposal for two reasons:

1 The Aboriginal Significance had not been taken into account.
2 There was no plan for the rest of the 35 hectare riverland site.

March ? 2000: The Ministry of Justice and Disability Services applied for a Section 18, or consent to alter or damage the Pyrton site, to do fencing and work on some buildings for use as a prison.

March 16 2000: The Aboriginal Cultural Materials Committee met to discuss Pyrton

Following internal legal advice that there was no avenue to protect the Pyrton site under state law, they had no choice but to "recommend" that consent be granted.(The issue hinged around whether or not there would be any ground disturbance.)

The Committee advised Minister Haymes; the matter may be referred to the Federal Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and expressed "disquiet that a prison should be placed within an area of Cultural Significance."
The Minister for Aboriginal Affairs gave his consent to alter or damage the Pyrton site for use as a prison.

March 17 2000: Two portions of the land were proclaimed a Prison under the Prisons act of 1981. GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!

March 23 2000: The Swan Valley Nyungah Community instructed their lawyers to seek a declaration from the Commonwealth Minister under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Act 1984 to protect the Pyrton site from desecration.

April 17 2000: The Minister for Works compulsorily acquired the land for purpose of a prison by way of a taking order under section 177(3) and 178 of the Land Administration Act.

May 15 2000: Work began at the riverland site on the refurbishment of Pyrton for a prison.

May 19 2000: The Commonwealth Heritage Minister, Robert Hill, appointed a Perth lawyer, Peter Marks, and gave him two weeks to report on the Pyrton issue. Works continued.

June 6 2000: Peter Marks delivered his report to Minister Hill finding that
Pyrton was of particular significance to Aboriginal People and should be protected from injury and desecration.
Further, Mr Marks found that a prison would desecrate the Pyrton Site and recommended that a declaration be made under the Commonwealth Act. Works continued.

June 29 2000: Senator Hill ordered the State Government to stop all work on Pyrton.

June 30 2000: Senator Hill Released the Marks Report Recommendations. All work at the Pyrton site stopped and an agreement was reached that no further work would take place until 14 July 2000.

July 14 2000: Senator Hill made a further agreement with the State Government that no work would take place at Pyrton until he reached his decision.

September 8 2000: Peter Marks advised that The State Government made a very lengthy report in response to his report to Minister Hill and that he in turn had responded to the Government report.
The Minister was said to be "further considering the matter."

September 29 2000. No declaration to protect the site has been made and the Minister for Heritage, Robert Hill, is still "further considering the matter."

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Contacts
Swan Valley Nyungah Community (08) 9377 3550
Pyrton Action Group (08) 9279 6781