The Western Cape Communities Co-Existence Agreement (WCCCA) is an Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA) over the Rio Tinto mining lease areas of the Western Cape York region of Northern Queensland. The Agreement is between eleven Traditional Owner Groups, (the Alngith, Anathangayth, Ankamuthi, Peppan, Taepadhighi, Thanikwithi, Warranggu, Wathayn, Yupungathi, Wik and Wik Waya Peoples), four Shire Councils (Aurukun, Napranum, Mapoon and Northern Peninsular Area Regional Council (NPARC), Comalco (now Rio Tinto), the Queensland State Government and the Cape York Land Council on behalf of the Native Title Parties. The Western Cape Communities Trust (WCCT) is a charitable Trust and assumes responsibility for the administration, investment, allocation and custody of funds sourced from Rio Tinto and the Queensland State Government under the WCCCA. Disbursements also occur through three linked Sub-Regional Trusts, and this structure reflects Sub-Regional Independence and decision making. Sub-Regional Trusts are Charitable Trusts for the purposes of assisting Traditional Owners and the communities. The Western Cape Communities Coordinating Committee (WCCCC) and its three Sub-Committees transparently monitor, implement and review the objectives of the WCCCA to ensure that all parties’ obligations under the agreement are met. The WCCT Office is the administration arm of all of the Trusts and the WCCCC. It manages the overall business of the companies and WCCCC including servicing, assisting and supporting the above entities.
