❓ Mr. Love questions the Premier regarding the implementation of the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2021, requesting a delay and the removal of the responsible minister. The Premier defends the Act, citing support from industry and ongoing consultation.
AnsweredQoN 378Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ABORIGINAL AFFAIRS CULTURAL HERITAGE ACT —
IMPLEMENTATION
378. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Premier:
I
refer to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs' ill-advised
implementation schedule of the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2021. I ask
the following questions again.
(1) Will the Premier delay the
implementation of this act by at least six months?
(2) Noting the
inability of the minister to properly consult either stakeholders or the
community on this bill and his failure to heed concerns, including of those
Indigenous groups he purports to have consulted, will the Premier remove him from his portfolio immediately and install
someone up to the task of implementing this act?
IMPLEMENTATION
378. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Premier:
I
refer to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs' ill-advised
implementation schedule of the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2021. I ask
the following questions again.
(1) Will the Premier delay the
implementation of this act by at least six months?
(2) Noting the
inability of the minister to properly consult either stakeholders or the
community on this bill and his failure to heed concerns, including of those
Indigenous groups he purports to have consulted, will the Premier remove him from his portfolio immediately and install
someone up to the task of implementing this act?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) As
the member said, he believes that the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs is
ill-advised. Who advised him in that ill way? When I was standing next to the
CEO of Rio Tinto, he said that these laws are ready to go and they are looking
forward to dealing with them. I was listening to the CEO of the Association of
Mining and Exploration Companies, Warren Pearce, yesterday, who said any delay
in implementing this bill would hold development back. I am aware that the
Chamber of Minerals and Energy supports this legislation and does not want to
see any delays either.
There are a range of views out there.
We will never capture some people because they have reasons beyond the actual
interests of their industry to believe that these things should not be
implemented. As the member would be aware, because he voted for it, this
legislation went through 18 months ago. I have had meetings with stakeholders
and the department itself. All the systems are in place and ready to go. We are
very much looking forward to seeing this new regime, which will do the same
thing as the old regime—that is, protect Aboriginal cultural heritage.
These are not new laws; these are the same laws modified and put into a framework
that everyone agrees upon. Let us not continue to bark and undermine; let us
understand that a lot of work and consultation has gone into this. Consultation
is going on even today and it will continue to go on. A lot of that
consultation goes down to allaying people's fears, which are mislaid
and misplaced because people out there are stirring things up and providing
misinformation in the community. We will continue to implement these laws in
the manner in which they were envisaged and in the appropriate time frame,
which is from 1 July.
the member said, he believes that the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs is
ill-advised. Who advised him in that ill way? When I was standing next to the
CEO of Rio Tinto, he said that these laws are ready to go and they are looking
forward to dealing with them. I was listening to the CEO of the Association of
Mining and Exploration Companies, Warren Pearce, yesterday, who said any delay
in implementing this bill would hold development back. I am aware that the
Chamber of Minerals and Energy supports this legislation and does not want to
see any delays either.
There are a range of views out there.
We will never capture some people because they have reasons beyond the actual
interests of their industry to believe that these things should not be
implemented. As the member would be aware, because he voted for it, this
legislation went through 18 months ago. I have had meetings with stakeholders
and the department itself. All the systems are in place and ready to go. We are
very much looking forward to seeing this new regime, which will do the same
thing as the old regime—that is, protect Aboriginal cultural heritage.
These are not new laws; these are the same laws modified and put into a framework
that everyone agrees upon. Let us not continue to bark and undermine; let us
understand that a lot of work and consultation has gone into this. Consultation
is going on even today and it will continue to go on. A lot of that
consultation goes down to allaying people's fears, which are mislaid
and misplaced because people out there are stirring things up and providing
misinformation in the community. We will continue to implement these laws in
the manner in which they were envisaged and in the appropriate time frame,
which is from 1 July.
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