Banjima Leaders Bring Wittenoom Clean‑Up Plea to Global Stage at UN in Switzerland
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
In March 2026, Banjima Traditional Owners will travel to Switzerland to participate in an event aligned with the UN Human Rights Council. While Banjima leaders have been engaging with the UN for several years, this will mark the first time they address the Council in person in Geneva.
This participation will shine an international spotlight on the Clean Up Wittenoom campaign and the longstanding human rights and environmental injustices we are fighting to resolve.
BNTAC Vice Chairwoman Johnnell Parker said the visit represents a new chapter in the long fight to restore and protect Banjima Country.
“We are following the legacy and footsteps that have been left by our elders past and present for our community, so we can look after Country, and each other.”
The UN event will include a screening of Yurlu | Country and a discussion on the injustice the Banjima people continue to face, alongside the practical steps needed to address it.
Yurlu | Country director Yaara Bou Melham, who will join the Banjima representatives in Geneva, said Wittenoom highlights a national responsibility.
“Australia is one of the wealthiest mining nations and is entering a new boom in critical minerals for the clean energy transition. But if we can’t address legacy sites like Wittenoom—the largest contaminated site in the Southern Hemisphere—how can we expect to do better elsewhere? Australia can be a world leader in this space, and the conversations at the UN will help reinforce the moral and legal imperative to clean up Wittenoom.”
This is an exciting step forward in our campaign.
How You Can Support the Clean Up Wittenoom Campaign
SIGN UP TO WALK WITH BANJIMA
Show your support for Banjima Native Title Aboriginal Corporation (BNTAC)’s efforts to secure the remediation of the tailings dumps at Wittenoom and sign our petition.
DONATE TO CLEAN UP WITTENOOM
Your donation will go to Banjima Native Title Aboriginal Corporation, the organisation behind the Clean Up Wittenoom campaign. Every donation, regardless of size, empowers Banjima to advocate for the remediation of Wittenoom.
HOST A SCREENING OF YURLU | COUNTRY
YURLU | COUNTRY is a Walkley Award-winning film about Banjima Elder Maitland Parker’s fight to Clean Up Wittenoom. After sold out film festival screenings and international accolades, this deeply moving film is now available to screen in your community, workplace or school.
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