❓ Question regarding the composition and expertise of the Aboriginal Cultural Materials Committee (ACMC), particularly concerning the presence of an anthropologist as prescribed by the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972. The Minister confirms the ACMC lacks a qualified anthropologist but relies on departmental advice and legal counsel.
AnsweredQoN 3188Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to part one of the letter quoted by the former Minister for Aboriginal Affairs in the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, 16 June 2009, which was read in, and ask: (a) will the Minister outline the number of permanent non-ex-officio members of the Aboriginal Cultural Materials Committee (ACMC), whether they were Indigenous or non-Indigenous and their gender; (b) which permanent members provide the balance of members with professional or academic skills, as opposed to practical local expertise and knowledge; (c) which permanent members provide the committee with academic anthropological or archaeological expertise; (d) does the committee have services of an anthropologist as prescribed by section 28(3) of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 ; (e) if no to (d), why not; (f) does the Minister believe the decisions of the ACMC are valid without the services of an anthropologist; (g) if yes to (f), why; (h) if yes to (f), has the Minister received legal advice that his answers to (f) and (g) are valid; and (i) if no to (h), why not?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
9 September 2015
Responded by
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs
Response time
85 days
a. There are two non-ex-officio members of the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee, one Aboriginal male and one Aboriginal female.
b. All the members of the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee have professional and/or academic skills.
c. No members of the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee have archaeological or anthropological qualifications. Officers of the Department of Aboriginal Affairs with anthropological and archaeological expertise currently provide written advice to the Committee and have done so since the Department assumed administration of the
Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972
in 1994.
d. No.
e. The Department of Aboriginal Affairs has undertaken several extensive, nation-wide recruitment processes in an effort to engage a Specialist Anthropologist. The search for a Specialist Anthropologist is ongoing. The Department of Aboriginal Affairs officers with anthropological and archaeological expertise currently provide written advice to the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee and have done so since the Department assumed administration of the
Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972
in 1994.
f. Yes.
g. This is based on legal advice from the State Solicitor's Office.
h. Yes.
i. Not applicable.
b. All the members of the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee have professional and/or academic skills.
c. No members of the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee have archaeological or anthropological qualifications. Officers of the Department of Aboriginal Affairs with anthropological and archaeological expertise currently provide written advice to the Committee and have done so since the Department assumed administration of the
Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972
in 1994.
d. No.
e. The Department of Aboriginal Affairs has undertaken several extensive, nation-wide recruitment processes in an effort to engage a Specialist Anthropologist. The search for a Specialist Anthropologist is ongoing. The Department of Aboriginal Affairs officers with anthropological and archaeological expertise currently provide written advice to the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee and have done so since the Department assumed administration of the
Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972
in 1994.
f. Yes.
g. This is based on legal advice from the State Solicitor's Office.
h. Yes.
i. Not applicable.
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