WA Liberal Senator Michaelia Cash has described the new Aboriginal heritage laws as an “unprecedented attack on private property rights” that could grind the State to a halt. She says it offers a glimpse into the “chaos” that an Indigenous Voice to Parliament could unleash. Senator Cash has told Premier Roger Cook to postpone the July 1 start date and “go back to the drawing board”.
Some of WA’s most prominent Aboriginal corporations have condemned the State Government’s new cultural heritage laws, claiming native title groups are “vastly under-resourced” for next month’s rollout and the new laws “will not prevent further tragedies like Juukan Gorge”. In a November 2021 letter, KLC chair Anthony Watson made an “urgent” appeal to all elected members of the WA Parliament to vote against the Bill. “The KLC was shocked to witness the introduction of the amended Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Bill despite widespread condemnation from Aboriginal people and heritage experts across the State and country,” the letter stated. “The KLC does not support the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Bill and we call on you, our elected representatives, to hear the voices of Aboriginal people and vote in accordance with our wishes.”
WA’s biggest miners have held crisis meetings about the roll-out of the State Government’s incoming cultural heritage laws with serious concerns about aspects of the new system. While supportive of the ambition of the post-Juukan Gorge heritage reforms, set to come into force on July 1, some are privately troubled by the “messy implementation” and the impact on operations. One major point of contention is a cost recovery model that was announced last month, requiring land users engaging in activities that may disturb cultural heritage to pay a fee.
Premier Roger Cook continues to resist pressure to push back the start date of revamped Aboriginal heritage laws despite acknowledging fears a shambolic rollout risks torpedoing support for the Voice referendum in WA.
Farmers, property developers, miners and exploration companies have all raised concerns about the July 1 implementation of the new Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act, while more than 26,000 people have now signed a petition requesting a six-month delay.
Guidelines for implementing the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act, coming into effect on July 1, are still not available, leaving West Australian farmers industry and property owners more confused than ever.
You could be forgiven for not knowing anything about the State Government’s new Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act, set to come into effect on July 1.It seems many didn’t. But before you dismiss it as something that doesn’t affect you, think again. It’s not just farmers, miners or industry groups affected by these changes.
WA LEGAL firms and mining companies have reacted to the imminent introduction of the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act (2023) by staging their own information sessions and creating online resources to inform farmers, pastoralists and mining interests about the impact of the new legislation on their activities. The act comes into effect on July 1 and has far-reaching implications for farmers and pastoralists, including the likelihood of higher penalties for breaches. The Pastoralists and Graziers’ Association of WA and WAFarmers oppose the new act and say it will be costly and time-consuming for farmers.
A respected WA pastoralist says her family will have to scrap years of planned works under the new Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act, claiming the legislation will “bring agriculture to a halt”. The 2022 WA Rural Woman of the Year finalist said she was also concerned the legislation, while giving Aboriginal people more say in managing their cultural heritage, disregarded the multi-generational knowledge and connection to country many pastoralists have inherited. “We’ve had the place for five generations, so we are well aware of any cultural heritage on the property,” Ms Dowden told Countryman. “We would never disturb something of significance; we hold it as precious to our hearts as any Indigenous person would, and we never underestimate the value of that.
Farmers fear their ability to do basic tasks like fencing or deep ripping will become tangled in costly red tape when important new legislation designed to protect WA’s Aboriginal cultural heritage takes effect next month. The Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2021 was passed through State Parliament in late December in the wake of Rio Tinto’s infamous blasting of Juukan Gorge more than two years earlier.
New Indigenous heritage laws set to come into force in Western Australia are “shambolic” and will hold up new mines and food production in the state, according to the explorers and farmers. But the government says it won’t reconsider or delay the proposal, which is due to take effect on July 1, legislated after the widely condemned destruction of the Juukan Gorge heritage site by Rio Tinto in 2020.
S. Kidman & Co and the Santa Gertrudis Society for “Santas in July” at the Norman Hotel, please see promotional flyer.
