The Western Australian Government has announced that it will commit more than $11 million in the 2021-22 State Budget to progress the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Bill (ACHB) 2021.
The ACHB will deliver historic reform of Western Australia’s Aboriginal heritage laws by replacing the outdated Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 to deliver greater protection for Aboriginal cultural heritage.
The Bill recognises that Aboriginal people hold the knowledge and cultural responsibility for their heritage. Under the new Bill, decisions about what qualifies as Aboriginal cultural heritage will be in the hands of Aboriginal people.
The Western Australian Government has committed $10 million in the 2021-22 State Budget to provide one-off establishment, administration and capacity-building funding for Local Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Services (LACHS). This money is a commitment to capacity building and development, long before the new regime comes into effect.
The appointment of LACHS for each area of the state will play an active role in the management of cultural heritage. LACHS will be the go-to groups to help negotiate and facilitate agreement-making on land-use proposals.
A further $795,000 has also been allocated to the Department of the Premier and Cabinet to finalise drafting of the Bill, to prepare policies, guidelines and regulations to support the Act, and to undertake stakeholder engagement on supporting documentation.
The Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage has also been allocated $250,000 to progress work on an integrated systems solution to support the new Act when it passes through Parliament.
Today the Chamber of Minerals and Energy of WA (CME) was one of a number of stakeholders invited to take part in a briefing session on the progress of the legislation with the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, the Hon. Stephen Dawson MLC, and representatives from the Department of Premier and Cabinet and the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage.
CME Director of Policy and Advocacy, Rob Carruthers, said the CME and its member companies are committed to the process of modernising Aboriginal cultural heritage legislation in WA.
“This is a critical piece of legislation and it’s vital we get it right for future generations,” Mr Carruthers said.
“Today’s session has helped to provide us with a better understanding of some of the amendments that have been made to the legislation since it was last publicly presented late in 2020, and how this bill will address the well understood flaws of the current 1972 Act.”
“However, in order for the WA mining and resources sector to assess how it will interact with this legislation, more clarity and detail is needed around key issues and proposed amendments which will have practical consequences to the operation of a new heritage regime.”
“CME and its member companies look forward to continuing to engage with government and other stakeholders to help deliver a modern regulatory framework which reflects the importance of agreement-making on heritage to deliver customised outcomes, shaped by local custodians and their priorities,” Mr Carruthers added.
