❓ A WA parliamentary question addresses a Minister's allegedly offensive remark about 'free Aboriginal heritage clearance' at a mining industry briefing. The Minister admits to the remark but denies any offense, stating it was light-hearted and reflected industry concerns about survey costs.
AnsweredQoN 11Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
MINISTER FOR MINES AND PETROLEUM — INDUSTRY BRIEFING COMMENTS
I refer to the minister’s comments as guest speaker at the Department of Mines and Petroleum mining and environmental industry briefing on 25 August 2010 at the Sheraton Hotel and a sound bite available at soundcloud.com titled “2010-08-25 Moore heritage clearance”. (1) Did the minister make the following remark — “Please stay for the raffle. I hope this is the case. This afternoon the prize is a free Aboriginal heritage clearance.” (2) If no to (1), what were the minister’s exact words? (3) If yes to (1), is the minister aware of the offensive nature of this remark to Indigenous people in attendance and of this state? (4) If no to (3), why does the minister not regard this remark as offensive? (5) If yes to (3), will the minister offer an apology to the Indigenous people of Western Australia for his remark? Hon NORMAN MOORE
I refer to the minister’s comments as guest speaker at the Department of Mines and Petroleum mining and environmental industry briefing on 25 August 2010 at the Sheraton Hotel and a sound bite available at soundcloud.com titled “2010-08-25 Moore heritage clearance”. (1) Did the minister make the following remark — “Please stay for the raffle. I hope this is the case. This afternoon the prize is a free Aboriginal heritage clearance.” (2) If no to (1), what were the minister’s exact words? (3) If yes to (1), is the minister aware of the offensive nature of this remark to Indigenous people in attendance and of this state? (4) If no to (3), why does the minister not regard this remark as offensive? (5) If yes to (3), will the minister offer an apology to the Indigenous people of Western Australia for his remark? Hon NORMAN MOORE
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of question. I wonder whether there is a standing order that covers those shirts; perhaps we should invent one! (1) Yes. (2) Not applicable. (3) I do not consider that my remarks were offensive in any way to Indigenous people and I have received no complaints in that regard. (4) My remark was made in a light-hearted manner. It was a reflection of complaints I had received in previous months from smaller players in the mining industry about what they considered to be unreasonably high costs being incurred by them for Aboriginal heritage surveys and the demands by some Indigenous groups for repeated surveys over the same ground, sometimes only a year or two apart, whenever an escalation of exploration activity is proposed or ground changes ownership. Contrary to the obvious inference in the honourable member’s question, I do not consider that my remark in any way denigrated Aboriginal heritage surveys and their recognised value in assisting in the protection of heritage sites important to Indigenous people in this state. (5) As indicated above, I have nothing to apologise for.
(1) Did the minister make the following remark — “Please stay for the raffle. I hope this is the case. This afternoon the prize is a free Aboriginal heritage clearance.” (2) If no to (1), what were the minister’s exact words? (3) If yes to (1), is the minister aware of the offensive nature of this remark to Indigenous people in attendance and of this state? (4) If no to (3), why does the minister not regard this remark as offensive? (5) If yes to (3), will the minister offer an apology to the Indigenous people of Western Australia for his remark? Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the member for some notice of question. I wonder whether there is a standing order that covers those shirts; perhaps we should invent one! (1) Yes. (2) Not applicable. (3) I do not consider that my remarks were offensive in any way to Indigenous people and I have received no complaints in that regard. (4) My remark was made in a light-hearted manner. It was a reflection of complaints I had received in previous months from smaller players in the mining industry about what they considered to be unreasonably high costs being incurred by them for Aboriginal heritage surveys and the demands by some Indigenous groups for repeated surveys over the same ground, sometimes only a year or two apart, whenever an escalation of exploration activity is proposed or ground changes ownership. Contrary to the obvious inference in the honourable member’s question, I do not consider that my remark in any way denigrated Aboriginal heritage surveys and their recognised value in assisting in the protection of heritage sites important to Indigenous people in this state. (5) As indicated above, I have nothing to apologise for.
(3) If yes to (1), is the minister aware of the offensive nature of this remark to Indigenous people in attendance and of this state? (4) If no to (3), why does the minister not regard this remark as offensive? (5) If yes to (3), will the minister offer an apology to the Indigenous people of Western Australia for his remark? Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the member for some notice of question. I wonder whether there is a standing order that covers those shirts; perhaps we should invent one! (1) Yes. (2) Not applicable. (3) I do not consider that my remarks were offensive in any way to Indigenous people and I have received no complaints in that regard. (4) My remark was made in a light-hearted manner. It was a reflection of complaints I had received in previous months from smaller players in the mining industry about what they considered to be unreasonably high costs being incurred by them for Aboriginal heritage surveys and the demands by some Indigenous groups for repeated surveys over the same ground, sometimes only a year or two apart, whenever an escalation of exploration activity is proposed or ground changes ownership. Contrary to the obvious inference in the honourable member’s question, I do not consider that my remark in any way denigrated Aboriginal heritage surveys and their recognised value in assisting in the protection of heritage sites important to Indigenous people in this state. (5) As indicated above, I have nothing to apologise for.
(4) If no to (3), why does the minister not regard this remark as offensive? (5) If yes to (3), will the minister offer an apology to the Indigenous people of Western Australia for his remark? Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the member for some notice of question. I wonder whether there is a standing order that covers those shirts; perhaps we should invent one! (1) Yes. (2) Not applicable. (3) I do not consider that my remarks were offensive in any way to Indigenous people and I have received no complaints in that regard. (4) My remark was made in a light-hearted manner. It was a reflection of complaints I had received in previous months from smaller players in the mining industry about what they considered to be unreasonably high costs being incurred by them for Aboriginal heritage surveys and the demands by some Indigenous groups for repeated surveys over the same ground, sometimes only a year or two apart, whenever an escalation of exploration activity is proposed or ground changes ownership. Contrary to the obvious inference in the honourable member’s question, I do not consider that my remark in any way denigrated Aboriginal heritage surveys and their recognised value in assisting in the protection of heritage sites important to Indigenous people in this state. (5) As indicated above, I have nothing to apologise for.
(5) If yes to (3), will the minister offer an apology to the Indigenous people of Western Australia for his remark? Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the member for some notice of question. I wonder whether there is a standing order that covers those shirts; perhaps we should invent one! (1) Yes. (2) Not applicable. (3) I do not consider that my remarks were offensive in any way to Indigenous people and I have received no complaints in that regard. (4) My remark was made in a light-hearted manner. It was a reflection of complaints I had received in previous months from smaller players in the mining industry about what they considered to be unreasonably high costs being incurred by them for Aboriginal heritage surveys and the demands by some Indigenous groups for repeated surveys over the same ground, sometimes only a year or two apart, whenever an escalation of exploration activity is proposed or ground changes ownership. Contrary to the obvious inference in the honourable member’s question, I do not consider that my remark in any way denigrated Aboriginal heritage surveys and their recognised value in assisting in the protection of heritage sites important to Indigenous people in this state. (5) As indicated above, I have nothing to apologise for.
Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the member for some notice of question. I wonder whether there is a standing order that covers those shirts; perhaps we should invent one! (1) Yes. (2) Not applicable. (3) I do not consider that my remarks were offensive in any way to Indigenous people and I have received no complaints in that regard. (4) My remark was made in a light-hearted manner. It was a reflection of complaints I had received in previous months from smaller players in the mining industry about what they considered to be unreasonably high costs being incurred by them for Aboriginal heritage surveys and the demands by some Indigenous groups for repeated surveys over the same ground, sometimes only a year or two apart, whenever an escalation of exploration activity is proposed or ground changes ownership. Contrary to the obvious inference in the honourable member’s question, I do not consider that my remark in any way denigrated Aboriginal heritage surveys and their recognised value in assisting in the protection of heritage sites important to Indigenous people in this state. (5) As indicated above, I have nothing to apologise for.
I thank the member for some notice of question. I wonder whether there is a standing order that covers those shirts; perhaps we should invent one! (1) Yes. (2) Not applicable. (3) I do not consider that my remarks were offensive in any way to Indigenous people and I have received no complaints in that regard. (4) My remark was made in a light-hearted manner. It was a reflection of complaints I had received in previous months from smaller players in the mining industry about what they considered to be unreasonably high costs being incurred by them for Aboriginal heritage surveys and the demands by some Indigenous groups for repeated surveys over the same ground, sometimes only a year or two apart, whenever an escalation of exploration activity is proposed or ground changes ownership. Contrary to the obvious inference in the honourable member’s question, I do not consider that my remark in any way denigrated Aboriginal heritage surveys and their recognised value in assisting in the protection of heritage sites important to Indigenous people in this state. (5) As indicated above, I have nothing to apologise for.
(1) Yes. (2) Not applicable. (3) I do not consider that my remarks were offensive in any way to Indigenous people and I have received no complaints in that regard. (4) My remark was made in a light-hearted manner. It was a reflection of complaints I had received in previous months from smaller players in the mining industry about what they considered to be unreasonably high costs being incurred by them for Aboriginal heritage surveys and the demands by some Indigenous groups for repeated surveys over the same ground, sometimes only a year or two apart, whenever an escalation of exploration activity is proposed or ground changes ownership. Contrary to the obvious inference in the honourable member’s question, I do not consider that my remark in any way denigrated Aboriginal heritage surveys and their recognised value in assisting in the protection of heritage sites important to Indigenous people in this state. (5) As indicated above, I have nothing to apologise for.
(2) Not applicable. (3) I do not consider that my remarks were offensive in any way to Indigenous people and I have received no complaints in that regard. (4) My remark was made in a light-hearted manner. It was a reflection of complaints I had received in previous months from smaller players in the mining industry about what they considered to be unreasonably high costs being incurred by them for Aboriginal heritage surveys and the demands by some Indigenous groups for repeated surveys over the same ground, sometimes only a year or two apart, whenever an escalation of exploration activity is proposed or ground changes ownership. Contrary to the obvious inference in the honourable member’s question, I do not consider that my remark in any way denigrated Aboriginal heritage surveys and their recognised value in assisting in the protection of heritage sites important to Indigenous people in this state. (5) As indicated above, I have nothing to apologise for.
(3) I do not consider that my remarks were offensive in any way to Indigenous people and I have received no complaints in that regard. (4) My remark was made in a light-hearted manner. It was a reflection of complaints I had received in previous months from smaller players in the mining industry about what they considered to be unreasonably high costs being incurred by them for Aboriginal heritage surveys and the demands by some Indigenous groups for repeated surveys over the same ground, sometimes only a year or two apart, whenever an escalation of exploration activity is proposed or ground changes ownership. Contrary to the obvious inference in the honourable member’s question, I do not consider that my remark in any way denigrated Aboriginal heritage surveys and their recognised value in assisting in the protection of heritage sites important to Indigenous people in this state. (5) As indicated above, I have nothing to apologise for.
(4) My remark was made in a light-hearted manner. It was a reflection of complaints I had received in previous months from smaller players in the mining industry about what they considered to be unreasonably high costs being incurred by them for Aboriginal heritage surveys and the demands by some Indigenous groups for repeated surveys over the same ground, sometimes only a year or two apart, whenever an escalation of exploration activity is proposed or ground changes ownership. Contrary to the obvious inference in the honourable member’s question, I do not consider that my remark in any way denigrated Aboriginal heritage surveys and their recognised value in assisting in the protection of heritage sites important to Indigenous people in this state. (5) As indicated above, I have nothing to apologise for.
(5) As indicated above, I have nothing to apologise for.
(1) Did the minister make the following remark — “Please stay for the raffle. I hope this is the case. This afternoon the prize is a free Aboriginal heritage clearance.” (2) If no to (1), what were the minister’s exact words? (3) If yes to (1), is the minister aware of the offensive nature of this remark to Indigenous people in attendance and of this state? (4) If no to (3), why does the minister not regard this remark as offensive? (5) If yes to (3), will the minister offer an apology to the Indigenous people of Western Australia for his remark? Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the member for some notice of question. I wonder whether there is a standing order that covers those shirts; perhaps we should invent one! (1) Yes. (2) Not applicable. (3) I do not consider that my remarks were offensive in any way to Indigenous people and I have received no complaints in that regard. (4) My remark was made in a light-hearted manner. It was a reflection of complaints I had received in previous months from smaller players in the mining industry about what they considered to be unreasonably high costs being incurred by them for Aboriginal heritage surveys and the demands by some Indigenous groups for repeated surveys over the same ground, sometimes only a year or two apart, whenever an escalation of exploration activity is proposed or ground changes ownership. Contrary to the obvious inference in the honourable member’s question, I do not consider that my remark in any way denigrated Aboriginal heritage surveys and their recognised value in assisting in the protection of heritage sites important to Indigenous people in this state. (5) As indicated above, I have nothing to apologise for.
(3) If yes to (1), is the minister aware of the offensive nature of this remark to Indigenous people in attendance and of this state? (4) If no to (3), why does the minister not regard this remark as offensive? (5) If yes to (3), will the minister offer an apology to the Indigenous people of Western Australia for his remark? Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the member for some notice of question. I wonder whether there is a standing order that covers those shirts; perhaps we should invent one! (1) Yes. (2) Not applicable. (3) I do not consider that my remarks were offensive in any way to Indigenous people and I have received no complaints in that regard. (4) My remark was made in a light-hearted manner. It was a reflection of complaints I had received in previous months from smaller players in the mining industry about what they considered to be unreasonably high costs being incurred by them for Aboriginal heritage surveys and the demands by some Indigenous groups for repeated surveys over the same ground, sometimes only a year or two apart, whenever an escalation of exploration activity is proposed or ground changes ownership. Contrary to the obvious inference in the honourable member’s question, I do not consider that my remark in any way denigrated Aboriginal heritage surveys and their recognised value in assisting in the protection of heritage sites important to Indigenous people in this state. (5) As indicated above, I have nothing to apologise for.
(4) If no to (3), why does the minister not regard this remark as offensive? (5) If yes to (3), will the minister offer an apology to the Indigenous people of Western Australia for his remark? Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the member for some notice of question. I wonder whether there is a standing order that covers those shirts; perhaps we should invent one! (1) Yes. (2) Not applicable. (3) I do not consider that my remarks were offensive in any way to Indigenous people and I have received no complaints in that regard. (4) My remark was made in a light-hearted manner. It was a reflection of complaints I had received in previous months from smaller players in the mining industry about what they considered to be unreasonably high costs being incurred by them for Aboriginal heritage surveys and the demands by some Indigenous groups for repeated surveys over the same ground, sometimes only a year or two apart, whenever an escalation of exploration activity is proposed or ground changes ownership. Contrary to the obvious inference in the honourable member’s question, I do not consider that my remark in any way denigrated Aboriginal heritage surveys and their recognised value in assisting in the protection of heritage sites important to Indigenous people in this state. (5) As indicated above, I have nothing to apologise for.
(5) If yes to (3), will the minister offer an apology to the Indigenous people of Western Australia for his remark? Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the member for some notice of question. I wonder whether there is a standing order that covers those shirts; perhaps we should invent one! (1) Yes. (2) Not applicable. (3) I do not consider that my remarks were offensive in any way to Indigenous people and I have received no complaints in that regard. (4) My remark was made in a light-hearted manner. It was a reflection of complaints I had received in previous months from smaller players in the mining industry about what they considered to be unreasonably high costs being incurred by them for Aboriginal heritage surveys and the demands by some Indigenous groups for repeated surveys over the same ground, sometimes only a year or two apart, whenever an escalation of exploration activity is proposed or ground changes ownership. Contrary to the obvious inference in the honourable member’s question, I do not consider that my remark in any way denigrated Aboriginal heritage surveys and their recognised value in assisting in the protection of heritage sites important to Indigenous people in this state. (5) As indicated above, I have nothing to apologise for.
Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the member for some notice of question. I wonder whether there is a standing order that covers those shirts; perhaps we should invent one! (1) Yes. (2) Not applicable. (3) I do not consider that my remarks were offensive in any way to Indigenous people and I have received no complaints in that regard. (4) My remark was made in a light-hearted manner. It was a reflection of complaints I had received in previous months from smaller players in the mining industry about what they considered to be unreasonably high costs being incurred by them for Aboriginal heritage surveys and the demands by some Indigenous groups for repeated surveys over the same ground, sometimes only a year or two apart, whenever an escalation of exploration activity is proposed or ground changes ownership. Contrary to the obvious inference in the honourable member’s question, I do not consider that my remark in any way denigrated Aboriginal heritage surveys and their recognised value in assisting in the protection of heritage sites important to Indigenous people in this state. (5) As indicated above, I have nothing to apologise for.
I thank the member for some notice of question. I wonder whether there is a standing order that covers those shirts; perhaps we should invent one! (1) Yes. (2) Not applicable. (3) I do not consider that my remarks were offensive in any way to Indigenous people and I have received no complaints in that regard. (4) My remark was made in a light-hearted manner. It was a reflection of complaints I had received in previous months from smaller players in the mining industry about what they considered to be unreasonably high costs being incurred by them for Aboriginal heritage surveys and the demands by some Indigenous groups for repeated surveys over the same ground, sometimes only a year or two apart, whenever an escalation of exploration activity is proposed or ground changes ownership. Contrary to the obvious inference in the honourable member’s question, I do not consider that my remark in any way denigrated Aboriginal heritage surveys and their recognised value in assisting in the protection of heritage sites important to Indigenous people in this state. (5) As indicated above, I have nothing to apologise for.
(1) Yes. (2) Not applicable. (3) I do not consider that my remarks were offensive in any way to Indigenous people and I have received no complaints in that regard. (4) My remark was made in a light-hearted manner. It was a reflection of complaints I had received in previous months from smaller players in the mining industry about what they considered to be unreasonably high costs being incurred by them for Aboriginal heritage surveys and the demands by some Indigenous groups for repeated surveys over the same ground, sometimes only a year or two apart, whenever an escalation of exploration activity is proposed or ground changes ownership. Contrary to the obvious inference in the honourable member’s question, I do not consider that my remark in any way denigrated Aboriginal heritage surveys and their recognised value in assisting in the protection of heritage sites important to Indigenous people in this state. (5) As indicated above, I have nothing to apologise for.
(2) Not applicable. (3) I do not consider that my remarks were offensive in any way to Indigenous people and I have received no complaints in that regard. (4) My remark was made in a light-hearted manner. It was a reflection of complaints I had received in previous months from smaller players in the mining industry about what they considered to be unreasonably high costs being incurred by them for Aboriginal heritage surveys and the demands by some Indigenous groups for repeated surveys over the same ground, sometimes only a year or two apart, whenever an escalation of exploration activity is proposed or ground changes ownership. Contrary to the obvious inference in the honourable member’s question, I do not consider that my remark in any way denigrated Aboriginal heritage surveys and their recognised value in assisting in the protection of heritage sites important to Indigenous people in this state. (5) As indicated above, I have nothing to apologise for.
(3) I do not consider that my remarks were offensive in any way to Indigenous people and I have received no complaints in that regard. (4) My remark was made in a light-hearted manner. It was a reflection of complaints I had received in previous months from smaller players in the mining industry about what they considered to be unreasonably high costs being incurred by them for Aboriginal heritage surveys and the demands by some Indigenous groups for repeated surveys over the same ground, sometimes only a year or two apart, whenever an escalation of exploration activity is proposed or ground changes ownership. Contrary to the obvious inference in the honourable member’s question, I do not consider that my remark in any way denigrated Aboriginal heritage surveys and their recognised value in assisting in the protection of heritage sites important to Indigenous people in this state. (5) As indicated above, I have nothing to apologise for.
(4) My remark was made in a light-hearted manner. It was a reflection of complaints I had received in previous months from smaller players in the mining industry about what they considered to be unreasonably high costs being incurred by them for Aboriginal heritage surveys and the demands by some Indigenous groups for repeated surveys over the same ground, sometimes only a year or two apart, whenever an escalation of exploration activity is proposed or ground changes ownership. Contrary to the obvious inference in the honourable member’s question, I do not consider that my remark in any way denigrated Aboriginal heritage surveys and their recognised value in assisting in the protection of heritage sites important to Indigenous people in this state. (5) As indicated above, I have nothing to apologise for.
(5) As indicated above, I have nothing to apologise for.
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