BLACK ON ILLEGAL 'KILL CROC' COUNTS
13.09.1995
By TONY KOCH.
AN Aborigine who speared two small crocodiles in a remote
coastal area 500km north of Mt Isa has been charged with taking fauna without a licence.
Murrandoo Yanner will face the District Court in Mt Isa later this month on two charges under the Nature Conservation Act.
The animals were taken on Bundalla Station, a property leased by the Carpentaria Land Council. It is traditional land of Yanner and his family.
He said last night from Mornington Island that he had speared the crocodiles with a dugong spear and wahop _ a spear with a rope attached.
Each of the crocodiles was speared and pulled up to the boat and hit on the head and killed.
The crocodiles were then taken ashore and skinned, and the meat and skins put in a bucket.
Mr Yanner said police and Environment Department officers had raided his Mt Isa home six times in the past six months trying to get evidence against him ""because I
speak out for Aboriginal people''.
"Ten years ago, they tried this with another Mt Isa bloke, Herbie Walden, who was killing turkeys and eating them. The High Court threw that one out and I'll win this too,'' Mr Yanner said.
"I'm a traditional man. This is traditional land and crocodiles are traditional tucker.''
Yanner said: ""We can kill other traditional food like turkeys or wallabies and the police don't worry, but suddenly if it's a croc they jump up and down.''
