Hon Robin Scott questions the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs regarding the absence of draft regulations for the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Bill 2020 during the consultation period. The Minister responds that regulations are not yet drafted but consultation will begin in 2021, highlighting prior extensive consultations.

AnsweredQoN 1024Legislative Council
Asked
24 September 2020
Portfolio
Aboriginal Affairs

QuestionView source ↗

ABORIGINAL CULTURAL
HERITAGE BILL 2020
1024. Hon ROBIN SCOTT to the minister representing the
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs:
I
refer to the minister's release of the consultation draft of the
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Bill 2020. Early comments that I have received
from interested stakeholders suggest that there are many references in the bill
to the regulations.
(1) Have any
regulations for the bill been drafted; and, if so, why have these not been
released as part of the consultation draft?
(2) If not, when does the minister
expect the regulations to be drafted?
(3) What is the
government's response to the assertion that meaningful consultation can
occur only with the release of the draft regulations?

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1) No.
(2) Stakeholders have been advised
that consultation on the draft regulations will begin in 2021.
(3) The bill is
the culmination of more than two years of consultation with Aboriginal people,
industry stakeholders and the broader Western Australian community, including
more than 130 submissions in response to a consultation
paper released in March 2018, and a further 70 submissions on a discussion
paper the following year. Both consultation processes included extensive
engagement with Aboriginal people and industry stakeholders across the state,
which has continued throughout the drafting process. The consultation draft of
the bill is currently out for public comment. Over the past month, detailed
briefings have been held with Aboriginal
groups and industry stakeholders. Information sessions are also being held in communities across the state.

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