THE Moree Murri Taskforce is threatening to take Moree Plains Shire Council and Woolworths to court over the planned construction of a Big W supermarket on the town’s Taylor Oval.
But the taskforce has not given a firm date as to when it will launch legal action, a move decided on after a meeting held last Friday.
Taskforce publicity officer Lyall Munro said the group wanted to meet with the board of Woolworths and Big W as soon as possible, to let it know why it was taking the supermarket giant and council to court.
He said there had been no consultation with Aboriginal people over the planned development.
“Our voices have been totally ignored,” Mr Munro said.
“If we can’t get a meeting with the Woolworths board, we most certainly will be going to court.
“We don’t oppose Big W coming to Moree, but we strongly oppose Taylor Oval.
“There’s been Aborigine skeleton remains discovered there – which is described in their (council’s) records – and possum skin and bark.
“That’s a key indication that there could be more people buried there.”
He said his research into the burials of Aboriginals in the town showed of 31 people recorded in the previous council’s Births, Deaths and Marriages records, 29 were still unaccounted for.
“My research into the Moree Cemetery where they’re supposed to be buried in a pauper’s grave – there’s no records about it from the people who controlled the cemetery for many years.
“There’s no records of any burials because Aborigines dug their own graves during that period. All this took place before the cemetery was really opened.”
He said the oval also had links to the early days of reconciliation in the town.
“We see it as an historical sportsground and a site of significance for Aboriginal people. We’d like to see that continue.”
He said the taskforce had been seeking legal opinion from the NSW Land Council for the past four months.
“We’re satisfied with the legal opinion that we have a good case, otherwise we wouldn’t be going to court,” he said.
But he declined to name the legal advisor the taskforce, in a recent media statement, claimed to have.
“If I can get a meeting (with Woolworths), I would most certainly name them after that,” he said.
“We’re looking at fair justice.
“We’ll be supported financially with the legal challenge.”
He said the taskforce was looking at a way of detecting skeletal remains on the oval through the use of special cameras.
Moree Mayor Mike Montgomery said he was not aware of the legal action threat and wanted to get more advice on the matter.
“We’re trying to be fair to the whole community and go through a process that’s beyond reproach,” Cr Montgomery said.