❓ Opposition MP questions the cost of the now-repealed Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act and seeks compensation for industry. The Premier defends the expenditure, highlighting ongoing value and the need for continued collaboration after the Juukan Gorge incident.
AnsweredQoN 454Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ABORIGINAL CULTURAL HERITAGE ACT — REPEAL
454. Mr P.J. RUNDLE to the Premier:
I refer to the public resources
used to establish the Premier's now failed Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
Act.
(1) What has been the cost to the
taxpayer of the development and implementation of this act?
(2) Will the
Premier be quantifying and compensating the costs to industry that have been
incurred as a result of his government's failure?
454. Mr P.J. RUNDLE to the Premier:
I refer to the public resources
used to establish the Premier's now failed Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
Act.
(1) What has been the cost to the
taxpayer of the development and implementation of this act?
(2) Will the
Premier be quantifying and compensating the costs to industry that have been
incurred as a result of his government's failure?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) Obviously,
some funds have been expended in relation to the implementation of the current
act, but I am very pleased to say that many of those resources will be utilised
as part of the ongoing program of rolling out Aboriginal cultural heritage laws
in this state. Clearly, we have had a conversation that we will need to
continue with the community, so I do not buy the claim that somehow resources
have been completely wasted in the context
of that conversation. We will continue to make sure that we work with the
community and with government,
utilising the resources we have, to bring about a proper heritage protection
regime that encourages agreement making and to build the links between
landowners and the Aboriginal communities that hold the knowledge about that
Aboriginal cultural heritage. That is where we want to see this process land
and where we see it in best practice up north, particularly with some of the
members of our mining industry. They work tirelessly to make sure that they
have strong relationships with the community on the ground so that it is a joint
effort in how we manage Aboriginal cultural heritage—not a compliance
act, but an act of good governance and good corporate citizenship.
The resources that industry has put in
have obviously been put to good use as it continues to hone its practices,
ideas and processes in relation to Aboriginal cultural heritage. This is a journey
that we are all on as a community. We are a community
that was hurt very badly with the Juukan Gorge situation. In fact , we were a global embarrassment, so we have to do
better, and that is what we are endeavouring to do. We are doing that by
working closely with industry, the community, stakeholders and Aboriginal
communities specifically. Resources are committed to this. That is what
would be expected from a government that is trying to make sure that we move
forward as a community together. We will continue that conversation with all
the industry and other stakeholders.
some funds have been expended in relation to the implementation of the current
act, but I am very pleased to say that many of those resources will be utilised
as part of the ongoing program of rolling out Aboriginal cultural heritage laws
in this state. Clearly, we have had a conversation that we will need to
continue with the community, so I do not buy the claim that somehow resources
have been completely wasted in the context
of that conversation. We will continue to make sure that we work with the
community and with government,
utilising the resources we have, to bring about a proper heritage protection
regime that encourages agreement making and to build the links between
landowners and the Aboriginal communities that hold the knowledge about that
Aboriginal cultural heritage. That is where we want to see this process land
and where we see it in best practice up north, particularly with some of the
members of our mining industry. They work tirelessly to make sure that they
have strong relationships with the community on the ground so that it is a joint
effort in how we manage Aboriginal cultural heritage—not a compliance
act, but an act of good governance and good corporate citizenship.
The resources that industry has put in
have obviously been put to good use as it continues to hone its practices,
ideas and processes in relation to Aboriginal cultural heritage. This is a journey
that we are all on as a community. We are a community
that was hurt very badly with the Juukan Gorge situation. In fact , we were a global embarrassment, so we have to do
better, and that is what we are endeavouring to do. We are doing that by
working closely with industry, the community, stakeholders and Aboriginal
communities specifically. Resources are committed to this. That is what
would be expected from a government that is trying to make sure that we move
forward as a community together. We will continue that conversation with all
the industry and other stakeholders.
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