00:00Four years ago, traditional owners were monitoring a heritage site at a salt lake near the Woomera
00:08rocket range when they came across a 1.3-metre missile close to an early Aboriginal structure.
00:14The weapon was later identified as manufactured by Saab as an anti-aircraft short-range missile.
00:19The traditional owners told the Defence Department about it and they say that they were then
00:23blocked from returning to the site in case the missile was live.
00:28When Defence didn't move the missile, they complained to Saab and then to the Organisation
00:32for Economic Cooperation and Development, which investigates complaints against multinationals.
00:38The OECD found Saab directly linked to a human rights violation because the missile impeded
00:44traditional owners from exercising cultural rights in the area where the ordnance was found.
00:49The investigation also found the human rights harm arose because Defence failed to find and
00:55remove the missile for one year.
00:58Traditional owner Andrew Starkey hopes the finding sets a precedent.
01:01And it may well be that communities overseas benefit from this decision far more than what
01:06we will.
01:07The OECD has recommended that Saab consult with traditional owners about the impact of
01:12weapons it manufactures that are used in the WPA.
01:16A spokesperson for Defence said the Department takes its responsibilities for Aboriginal heritage
01:21and public safety very seriously.
01:24A Saab spokesperson said the company is committed to upholding human rights and complies with Australian
01:29laws, export controls and international treaties.
01:33The missile was removed in 2022 and Defence said it posed no risk to public safety.
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