(Alliance News) - Rio Tinto PLC on Thursday said it "acknowledges" the Australian government's response to a report into the destruction of rock shelters in Juukan Gorge.

In May 2020, Rio Tinto blasted rock shelters in the Juukan Gorge in Western Australia's remote Pilbara region, destroying one of the earliest known sites occupied by Australia's indigenous people in order to expand its iron ore mine.

The report was issued by Joint Standing Committee on Northern Australia in October 2021.

Speaking in the Australian parliament on Thursday, Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek quoted the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura people's submission to the enquiry: "The Juukan Gorge disaster is a tragedy not only for our people. It is also a tragedy for the heritage of all Australians and indeed humanity as a whole.

"It is unthinkable that we would ever knowingly destroy Stonehenge, or the Egyptian pyramids, or the Lascaux caves in France," she said. "When the Bamiyan Buddhas were destroyed in Afghanistan, the world was rightly outraged. But that's precisely what occurred at the Juukan Gorge."

The Australian government will legislate for new protections for indigenous heritage sites, accepting all but one of the eight recommendations made in the report.

Commenting on the report and the government's response to it, Rio Tinto said it is working towards "remedying and rebuilding" its relationship with the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura while also remediating the Jukkan Gorge shelters.

Rio Tinto Chief Executive Jakob Stausholm said, "Since the tragic events of May 2020, we have been tirelessly focused on changing the way we engage and work in partnership with Indigenous communities, to protect and preserve cultural heritage."

The miner said it was shifting to a model of co-management to "enhance the protection of heritage" and "provide better outcomes for Indigenous peoples" as well as the business.

Rio Tinto said it would also support the strengthening of cultural heritage legislation at state and commonwealth levels.

It pledged to change its culture, "to ensure traditional owner views are understood at all stages of the mine life".

Staushold said: "We acknowledge today's announcement and will explore the government's response to the report's recommendations in detail, as we continue to strive to be the best partner we can be, and play an active role in ensuring heritage sites of exceptional significance are protected."

Shares in Rio Tinto were trading 1.3% higher at 5,450.00 pence each in London on Thursday morning.

By Chris Dorrell; chrisdorrell@alliancenews.com

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