Hon. Robin Chapple questions the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs regarding applications to the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee (ACMC), specifically concerning the filling of a specialist anthropologist position and the validity of ACMC recommendations in its absence. The Minister provides details on application numbers and the ongoing recruitment process.

AnsweredQoN 237Legislative Council
Asked
22 March 2016
Portfolio
Aboriginal Affairs

QuestionView source ↗

ABORIGINAL
CULTURAL MATERIAL COMMITTEE —NON–EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS
237. Hon ROBIN CHAPPLE to the
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs:
I refer to the
minister's media statement of Wednesday, 6 January 2016, titled ''EOI
for advisers of Aboriginal heritage'', and to question on notice 3188.
(1) How many applications did the minister
receive to join the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee as a general member?
(2) How many
applications did the minister receive to join the ACMC as a specialist
anthropologist?
(3) In both cases, in answer to (1) and (2),
were applicants advised that their applications had been received?
(4) If no to (3),
why not?
(5) Have the
positions advertised been filled?
(6) If yes to (5),
by whom and on what date?
(7) If the department is of the view that
the ACMC recommendations are valid without the services of a specialist
anthropologist, why was the position advertised?

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the
honourable member for some notice of the question.
(1) I received 16
applications.
(2) I received four
applications.
(3) No.
(4) All applicants
will be notified of the outcome once the process has been finalised.
(5)–(6) The appointment of new
members and a specialist anthropologist to the Aboriginal Cultural Material
Committee is currently in progress. Once the process has been finalised, a statement
will be made to announce the new membership.
(7) I have answered this on a number of
occasions before. The department has attempted to fill the specialist
anthropologist position on three occasions since the position became vacant in
2013. On each of these occasions, the department was unable to identify a suitable
applicant; therefore, a fourth recruitment process was undertaken. 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. I repeat that I have given that same
response on a number of occasions.

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