Content warning: This article contains reference to child sexual abuse. Please refer to the services at the bottom of this article for support.
The former manager of Lamboo Station, one of Western Australia's top Indigenous pastoral stations, has pleaded guilty to four counts of serious child sex offences.
Robin Yeeda initially pleaded not guilty to five charges in July last year, including one charge of sexual penetration of a child under 13.
He has now pleaded guilty to four charges, including three counts of indecently dealing with a child younger than 13 and one count of indecent dealing with a child aged between 13 and 16.
This comes after Yeeda's brother Laurie was sentenced to nine and a half years imprisonment for what has been described as "extraordinarily serious" child sex offences in May last year.
Laurie Yeeda pleaded guilty to 16 sex offences against four victims aged between 10 and 15, between 1994 and 2017 on Lamboo, the pastoral station 50 kilometres west of Halls Creek that has been managed by his family since 1994.
During Laurie Yeeda's trial, defence lawyer Ben White said the Yeeda name was "synonymous" with the cattle industry.
In the sentencing, Judge Gillian Braddock said Laurie's crimes were committed without "any concern for [the victims'] welfare or their rights".
Robin Yeeda has worked on Lamboo Station since he came to the Kimberley in his teens and took a managerial position at the station in 2002. Around this time, the Yeeda family formed Ngunjiwirri Aboriginal Corporation, which owns the pastoral lease.
In 2004, Yeeda became involved with the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development's Indigenous Landholder Service (ILS).
In a 2016 press release, the Department said the ILS had been working closely with the Ngunjiwirri Aboriginal Corporation "in it's pursuit of financial viability".
The same year, Lamboo Station was celebrated by the State Government as the first Aboriginal station in the Kimberley to host a low stress stock-handling workshop.
It has been reported that Yeeda left Lamboo within the last 18 months and moved to Broome, with Darrylin Gordon, Yeeda's niece, taking over management of the station.
Gordon has been featured multiple times in the WA web series Visible Farmer, and won the 2018 WA AgriFutures Rural Women's Award.
Kimberley pastoralists Haydn and Jane Sale lease two thirds of Lamboo Station for their pastoral business Yougawalla Services.
The duo declined to be interviewed but provided NIT with a statement. Ms Sale said Yougawalla expects to keep working with Lamboo under Gordon's leadership:
"Apart from our huge concern for the community members who are our neighbours, Ngunjiwirri Aboriginal Corporation that manages the Lamboo Station Lease has been extremely professional and communicative and the trial has not impacted us on a work related front.
"We hope the guilty plea gives the victim/s and community members some comfort, understanding in the greater community and allows them to seek help and be provided support to heal over time.
"Yougawalla Services since its inception has prided itself on our mutually beneficial relationships with our Indigenous neighbouring communities and pastoral leases and hope to continue to do so well into the future.
"We have a high regard for Darrylin Gordon in her duty as the appointed manager of Lamboo Station. Now more than ever Ngunjiwirri Aboriginal Corporation needs a vision for their pastoral enterprise and we look forward to walking beside them and taking their direction on this at Lamboo."
Robin Yeeda will be sentenced on May 5 in the District Court in Kununurra.
If this article has raised any issues for you, please call or visit the resources below:
- Blue Knot Foundation – 1300 657 380, blueknot.org.au or email [email protected]
- Bravehearts – 1800 272 831, bravehearts.org.au
- 1800 RESPECT – 1800 737 732, www.1800respect.org.au
- Spartan First Suicide Prevention Crisis Line – 1800 370 747
- Lifeline – 13 11 14, lifeline.org.au
By Sarah Smit
