❓ Dr. Walker questions the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs regarding the implementation of the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act, specifically concerning the lack of established local Aboriginal cultural heritage services and calls for a delay in implementation. The Minister defends the government's position, stating the Act doesn't depend on LACHS and refuses to delay implementation.
AnsweredQoN 736Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
ABORIGINAL CULTURAL HERITAGE
ACT — IMPLEMENTATION
736. Hon Dr BRIAN WALKER to the Leader of the House representing the
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs:
I refer the minister to claims made
by a number of Aboriginal corporations, including the Kimberley Land Council,
that they are vastly under-resourced to deal with the impending introduction of
the regulations associated with the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act.
(1) Why has the
government failed to set up any of the local Aboriginal cultural heritage
services that were promised ahead of the act coming into force?
(2) When can we
expect to see those local Aboriginal cultural heritage services rolled out, and
what will serve in their place in the meantime?
(3) Since neither
farmers nor the Indigenous community seem to be happy with the level of
consultation and support they have received to date, will the minister
reconsider his decision not to grant a stay and delay the imposition of the new
legislation by six months to allow more groundwork to be done?
ACT — IMPLEMENTATION
736. Hon Dr BRIAN WALKER to the Leader of the House representing the
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs:
I refer the minister to claims made
by a number of Aboriginal corporations, including the Kimberley Land Council,
that they are vastly under-resourced to deal with the impending introduction of
the regulations associated with the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act.
(1) Why has the
government failed to set up any of the local Aboriginal cultural heritage
services that were promised ahead of the act coming into force?
(2) When can we
expect to see those local Aboriginal cultural heritage services rolled out, and
what will serve in their place in the meantime?
(3) Since neither
farmers nor the Indigenous community seem to be happy with the level of
consultation and support they have received to date, will the minister
reconsider his decision not to grant a stay and delay the imposition of the new
legislation by six months to allow more groundwork to be done?
AnswerView source ↗
I have to provide an answer! The
member is keen! I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question.
(1) The
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2021 provides the ability for Aboriginal
corporations that want to take on the role and functions of being a local
Aboriginal cultural heritage service, or LACHS, to apply to the Aboriginal
Cultural Heritage Council to be designated as such. It is up to the individual
Aboriginal corporation to make that decision and is not for the government to
set up.
(2) As this house
has previously been advised, the new act is not dependent on the establishment
of LACHS. Where there is not a LACHS, the act states that native title bodies
such as prescribed bodies corporate and native title representative bodies will
undertake this role.
(3) No. The
government has repeatedly stated its intention for the act to come into effect
on 1 July 2023.
member is keen! I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question.
(1) The
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2021 provides the ability for Aboriginal
corporations that want to take on the role and functions of being a local
Aboriginal cultural heritage service, or LACHS, to apply to the Aboriginal
Cultural Heritage Council to be designated as such. It is up to the individual
Aboriginal corporation to make that decision and is not for the government to
set up.
(2) As this house
has previously been advised, the new act is not dependent on the establishment
of LACHS. Where there is not a LACHS, the act states that native title bodies
such as prescribed bodies corporate and native title representative bodies will
undertake this role.
(3) No. The
government has repeatedly stated its intention for the act to come into effect
on 1 July 2023.
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