❓ A parliamentary question probes potential discrepancies in indigenous heritage surveys related to Portman Ltd's Koolyanobbing expansion, focusing on omitted information and potential breaches of the Aboriginal Heritage Act. The Minister's response addresses awareness, departmental procedures, and available legal measures.
AnsweredQoN 706Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I thank Hon Derrick Tomlinson for asking a precursor to my question. I refer to Portman Ltd’s Koolyanobbing expansion and ask - (1) Is the minister aware that Australian Interaction Consultants conducted three indigenous heritage surveys for Portman Ltd prior to Philip Clarke being engaged by the company, and is the minister in possession of all those documents? (2) Is the minister aware that those documents contain information about heritage sites within the project area that was omitted from the final reports provided to the department by Portman Ltd and Clarke? (3) Is the minister aware that this incomplete information was also supplied to the Environmental Protection Authority in the course of applying for environmental approvals? (4) Will the minister ensure that the reports of Australian Interaction Consultants are supplied to the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee so that it can determine whether Portman Ltd should apply for section 18 clearances under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972? (5) What measures are available to the minister to prosecute companies that provide incomplete and misleading heritage information to government departments? (6) Will the minister pursue these measures in the case of Portman Ltd? (7) If no to (6), why not? Hon GRAHAM GIFFARD
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question. The minister has supplied the following answer - (1) Yes and no. The acting Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Mr Bob Kucera, was briefed on these matters in October 2002. (2) See answer to (1) above. In addition, the Department of Indigenous Affairs has copies of the reports of both Australian Interaction Consultants and Clarke. Reference to those reports was made in the October 2002 ministerial briefing. (3) No. (4) No. The Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which relevant departmental staff examine all heritage survey reports that come into the possession, custody or control of the department. Departmental staff assess the content of those reports to ascertain whether they contain sufficient information to register any sites on the interim Aboriginal heritage sites register. This procedure ensures that the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee does not use up valuable meeting time in considering site description information that is patently insufficient for it to fulfil its site evaluation functions under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972. (5) Under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, persons may be prosecuted if they breach section 17 of the Act by excavating, destroying, damaging, concealing or in any way altering an Aboriginal heritage site. Relevant departmental staff examine and assess all heritage survey reports received by the department and often liaise with the authors and bodies that commission the reports to seek additional information or clarification to achieve the best available information about Aboriginal heritage sites. (6) Over the past 18 months relevant departmental staff have had numerous discussions and engaged in correspondence with the authors of the Australian Interaction Consultants reports and the company that commissioned the Clarke report to seek clarification and additional information on the reports as appropriate (7) See answers to (5) and (6) above.
I refer to Portman Ltd’s Koolyanobbing expansion and ask - (1) Is the minister aware that Australian Interaction Consultants conducted three indigenous heritage surveys for Portman Ltd prior to Philip Clarke being engaged by the company, and is the minister in possession of all those documents? (2) Is the minister aware that those documents contain information about heritage sites within the project area that was omitted from the final reports provided to the department by Portman Ltd and Clarke? (3) Is the minister aware that this incomplete information was also supplied to the Environmental Protection Authority in the course of applying for environmental approvals? (4) Will the minister ensure that the reports of Australian Interaction Consultants are supplied to the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee so that it can determine whether Portman Ltd should apply for section 18 clearances under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972? (5) What measures are available to the minister to prosecute companies that provide incomplete and misleading heritage information to government departments? (6) Will the minister pursue these measures in the case of Portman Ltd? (7) If no to (6), why not? Hon GRAHAM GIFFARD replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The minister has supplied the following answer - (1) Yes and no. The acting Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Mr Bob Kucera, was briefed on these matters in October 2002. (2) See answer to (1) above. In addition, the Department of Indigenous Affairs has copies of the reports of both Australian Interaction Consultants and Clarke. Reference to those reports was made in the October 2002 ministerial briefing. (3) No. (4) No. The Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which relevant departmental staff examine all heritage survey reports that come into the possession, custody or control of the department. Departmental staff assess the content of those reports to ascertain whether they contain sufficient information to register any sites on the interim Aboriginal heritage sites register. This procedure ensures that the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee does not use up valuable meeting time in considering site description information that is patently insufficient for it to fulfil its site evaluation functions under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972. (5) Under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, persons may be prosecuted if they breach section 17 of the Act by excavating, destroying, damaging, concealing or in any way altering an Aboriginal heritage site. Relevant departmental staff examine and assess all heritage survey reports received by the department and often liaise with the authors and bodies that commission the reports to seek additional information or clarification to achieve the best available information about Aboriginal heritage sites. (6) Over the past 18 months relevant departmental staff have had numerous discussions and engaged in correspondence with the authors of the Australian Interaction Consultants reports and the company that commissioned the Clarke report to seek clarification and additional information on the reports as appropriate (7) See answers to (5) and (6) above.
(1) Is the minister aware that Australian Interaction Consultants conducted three indigenous heritage surveys for Portman Ltd prior to Philip Clarke being engaged by the company, and is the minister in possession of all those documents? (2) Is the minister aware that those documents contain information about heritage sites within the project area that was omitted from the final reports provided to the department by Portman Ltd and Clarke? (3) Is the minister aware that this incomplete information was also supplied to the Environmental Protection Authority in the course of applying for environmental approvals? (4) Will the minister ensure that the reports of Australian Interaction Consultants are supplied to the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee so that it can determine whether Portman Ltd should apply for section 18 clearances under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972? (5) What measures are available to the minister to prosecute companies that provide incomplete and misleading heritage information to government departments? (6) Will the minister pursue these measures in the case of Portman Ltd? (7) If no to (6), why not? Hon GRAHAM GIFFARD replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The minister has supplied the following answer - (1) Yes and no. The acting Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Mr Bob Kucera, was briefed on these matters in October 2002. (2) See answer to (1) above. In addition, the Department of Indigenous Affairs has copies of the reports of both Australian Interaction Consultants and Clarke. Reference to those reports was made in the October 2002 ministerial briefing. (3) No. (4) No. The Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which relevant departmental staff examine all heritage survey reports that come into the possession, custody or control of the department. Departmental staff assess the content of those reports to ascertain whether they contain sufficient information to register any sites on the interim Aboriginal heritage sites register. This procedure ensures that the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee does not use up valuable meeting time in considering site description information that is patently insufficient for it to fulfil its site evaluation functions under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972. (5) Under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, persons may be prosecuted if they breach section 17 of the Act by excavating, destroying, damaging, concealing or in any way altering an Aboriginal heritage site. Relevant departmental staff examine and assess all heritage survey reports received by the department and often liaise with the authors and bodies that commission the reports to seek additional information or clarification to achieve the best available information about Aboriginal heritage sites. (6) Over the past 18 months relevant departmental staff have had numerous discussions and engaged in correspondence with the authors of the Australian Interaction Consultants reports and the company that commissioned the Clarke report to seek clarification and additional information on the reports as appropriate (7) See answers to (5) and (6) above.
(2) Is the minister aware that those documents contain information about heritage sites within the project area that was omitted from the final reports provided to the department by Portman Ltd and Clarke? (3) Is the minister aware that this incomplete information was also supplied to the Environmental Protection Authority in the course of applying for environmental approvals? (4) Will the minister ensure that the reports of Australian Interaction Consultants are supplied to the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee so that it can determine whether Portman Ltd should apply for section 18 clearances under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972? (5) What measures are available to the minister to prosecute companies that provide incomplete and misleading heritage information to government departments? (6) Will the minister pursue these measures in the case of Portman Ltd? (7) If no to (6), why not? Hon GRAHAM GIFFARD replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The minister has supplied the following answer - (1) Yes and no. The acting Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Mr Bob Kucera, was briefed on these matters in October 2002. (2) See answer to (1) above. In addition, the Department of Indigenous Affairs has copies of the reports of both Australian Interaction Consultants and Clarke. Reference to those reports was made in the October 2002 ministerial briefing. (3) No. (4) No. The Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which relevant departmental staff examine all heritage survey reports that come into the possession, custody or control of the department. Departmental staff assess the content of those reports to ascertain whether they contain sufficient information to register any sites on the interim Aboriginal heritage sites register. This procedure ensures that the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee does not use up valuable meeting time in considering site description information that is patently insufficient for it to fulfil its site evaluation functions under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972. (5) Under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, persons may be prosecuted if they breach section 17 of the Act by excavating, destroying, damaging, concealing or in any way altering an Aboriginal heritage site. Relevant departmental staff examine and assess all heritage survey reports received by the department and often liaise with the authors and bodies that commission the reports to seek additional information or clarification to achieve the best available information about Aboriginal heritage sites. (6) Over the past 18 months relevant departmental staff have had numerous discussions and engaged in correspondence with the authors of the Australian Interaction Consultants reports and the company that commissioned the Clarke report to seek clarification and additional information on the reports as appropriate (7) See answers to (5) and (6) above.
(3) Is the minister aware that this incomplete information was also supplied to the Environmental Protection Authority in the course of applying for environmental approvals? (4) Will the minister ensure that the reports of Australian Interaction Consultants are supplied to the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee so that it can determine whether Portman Ltd should apply for section 18 clearances under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972? (5) What measures are available to the minister to prosecute companies that provide incomplete and misleading heritage information to government departments? (6) Will the minister pursue these measures in the case of Portman Ltd? (7) If no to (6), why not? Hon GRAHAM GIFFARD replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The minister has supplied the following answer - (1) Yes and no. The acting Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Mr Bob Kucera, was briefed on these matters in October 2002. (2) See answer to (1) above. In addition, the Department of Indigenous Affairs has copies of the reports of both Australian Interaction Consultants and Clarke. Reference to those reports was made in the October 2002 ministerial briefing. (3) No. (4) No. The Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which relevant departmental staff examine all heritage survey reports that come into the possession, custody or control of the department. Departmental staff assess the content of those reports to ascertain whether they contain sufficient information to register any sites on the interim Aboriginal heritage sites register. This procedure ensures that the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee does not use up valuable meeting time in considering site description information that is patently insufficient for it to fulfil its site evaluation functions under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972. (5) Under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, persons may be prosecuted if they breach section 17 of the Act by excavating, destroying, damaging, concealing or in any way altering an Aboriginal heritage site. Relevant departmental staff examine and assess all heritage survey reports received by the department and often liaise with the authors and bodies that commission the reports to seek additional information or clarification to achieve the best available information about Aboriginal heritage sites. (6) Over the past 18 months relevant departmental staff have had numerous discussions and engaged in correspondence with the authors of the Australian Interaction Consultants reports and the company that commissioned the Clarke report to seek clarification and additional information on the reports as appropriate (7) See answers to (5) and (6) above.
(4) Will the minister ensure that the reports of Australian Interaction Consultants are supplied to the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee so that it can determine whether Portman Ltd should apply for section 18 clearances under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972? (5) What measures are available to the minister to prosecute companies that provide incomplete and misleading heritage information to government departments? (6) Will the minister pursue these measures in the case of Portman Ltd? (7) If no to (6), why not? Hon GRAHAM GIFFARD replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The minister has supplied the following answer - (1) Yes and no. The acting Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Mr Bob Kucera, was briefed on these matters in October 2002. (2) See answer to (1) above. In addition, the Department of Indigenous Affairs has copies of the reports of both Australian Interaction Consultants and Clarke. Reference to those reports was made in the October 2002 ministerial briefing. (3) No. (4) No. The Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which relevant departmental staff examine all heritage survey reports that come into the possession, custody or control of the department. Departmental staff assess the content of those reports to ascertain whether they contain sufficient information to register any sites on the interim Aboriginal heritage sites register. This procedure ensures that the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee does not use up valuable meeting time in considering site description information that is patently insufficient for it to fulfil its site evaluation functions under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972. (5) Under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, persons may be prosecuted if they breach section 17 of the Act by excavating, destroying, damaging, concealing or in any way altering an Aboriginal heritage site. Relevant departmental staff examine and assess all heritage survey reports received by the department and often liaise with the authors and bodies that commission the reports to seek additional information or clarification to achieve the best available information about Aboriginal heritage sites. (6) Over the past 18 months relevant departmental staff have had numerous discussions and engaged in correspondence with the authors of the Australian Interaction Consultants reports and the company that commissioned the Clarke report to seek clarification and additional information on the reports as appropriate (7) See answers to (5) and (6) above.
(5) What measures are available to the minister to prosecute companies that provide incomplete and misleading heritage information to government departments? (6) Will the minister pursue these measures in the case of Portman Ltd? (7) If no to (6), why not? Hon GRAHAM GIFFARD replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The minister has supplied the following answer - (1) Yes and no. The acting Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Mr Bob Kucera, was briefed on these matters in October 2002. (2) See answer to (1) above. In addition, the Department of Indigenous Affairs has copies of the reports of both Australian Interaction Consultants and Clarke. Reference to those reports was made in the October 2002 ministerial briefing. (3) No. (4) No. The Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which relevant departmental staff examine all heritage survey reports that come into the possession, custody or control of the department. Departmental staff assess the content of those reports to ascertain whether they contain sufficient information to register any sites on the interim Aboriginal heritage sites register. This procedure ensures that the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee does not use up valuable meeting time in considering site description information that is patently insufficient for it to fulfil its site evaluation functions under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972. (5) Under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, persons may be prosecuted if they breach section 17 of the Act by excavating, destroying, damaging, concealing or in any way altering an Aboriginal heritage site. Relevant departmental staff examine and assess all heritage survey reports received by the department and often liaise with the authors and bodies that commission the reports to seek additional information or clarification to achieve the best available information about Aboriginal heritage sites. (6) Over the past 18 months relevant departmental staff have had numerous discussions and engaged in correspondence with the authors of the Australian Interaction Consultants reports and the company that commissioned the Clarke report to seek clarification and additional information on the reports as appropriate (7) See answers to (5) and (6) above.
(6) Will the minister pursue these measures in the case of Portman Ltd? (7) If no to (6), why not? Hon GRAHAM GIFFARD replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The minister has supplied the following answer - (1) Yes and no. The acting Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Mr Bob Kucera, was briefed on these matters in October 2002. (2) See answer to (1) above. In addition, the Department of Indigenous Affairs has copies of the reports of both Australian Interaction Consultants and Clarke. Reference to those reports was made in the October 2002 ministerial briefing. (3) No. (4) No. The Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which relevant departmental staff examine all heritage survey reports that come into the possession, custody or control of the department. Departmental staff assess the content of those reports to ascertain whether they contain sufficient information to register any sites on the interim Aboriginal heritage sites register. This procedure ensures that the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee does not use up valuable meeting time in considering site description information that is patently insufficient for it to fulfil its site evaluation functions under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972. (5) Under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, persons may be prosecuted if they breach section 17 of the Act by excavating, destroying, damaging, concealing or in any way altering an Aboriginal heritage site. Relevant departmental staff examine and assess all heritage survey reports received by the department and often liaise with the authors and bodies that commission the reports to seek additional information or clarification to achieve the best available information about Aboriginal heritage sites. (6) Over the past 18 months relevant departmental staff have had numerous discussions and engaged in correspondence with the authors of the Australian Interaction Consultants reports and the company that commissioned the Clarke report to seek clarification and additional information on the reports as appropriate (7) See answers to (5) and (6) above.
(7) If no to (6), why not? Hon GRAHAM GIFFARD replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The minister has supplied the following answer - (1) Yes and no. The acting Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Mr Bob Kucera, was briefed on these matters in October 2002. (2) See answer to (1) above. In addition, the Department of Indigenous Affairs has copies of the reports of both Australian Interaction Consultants and Clarke. Reference to those reports was made in the October 2002 ministerial briefing. (3) No. (4) No. The Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which relevant departmental staff examine all heritage survey reports that come into the possession, custody or control of the department. Departmental staff assess the content of those reports to ascertain whether they contain sufficient information to register any sites on the interim Aboriginal heritage sites register. This procedure ensures that the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee does not use up valuable meeting time in considering site description information that is patently insufficient for it to fulfil its site evaluation functions under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972. (5) Under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, persons may be prosecuted if they breach section 17 of the Act by excavating, destroying, damaging, concealing or in any way altering an Aboriginal heritage site. Relevant departmental staff examine and assess all heritage survey reports received by the department and often liaise with the authors and bodies that commission the reports to seek additional information or clarification to achieve the best available information about Aboriginal heritage sites. (6) Over the past 18 months relevant departmental staff have had numerous discussions and engaged in correspondence with the authors of the Australian Interaction Consultants reports and the company that commissioned the Clarke report to seek clarification and additional information on the reports as appropriate (7) See answers to (5) and (6) above.
Hon GRAHAM GIFFARD replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The minister has supplied the following answer - (1) Yes and no. The acting Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Mr Bob Kucera, was briefed on these matters in October 2002. (2) See answer to (1) above. In addition, the Department of Indigenous Affairs has copies of the reports of both Australian Interaction Consultants and Clarke. Reference to those reports was made in the October 2002 ministerial briefing. (3) No. (4) No. The Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which relevant departmental staff examine all heritage survey reports that come into the possession, custody or control of the department. Departmental staff assess the content of those reports to ascertain whether they contain sufficient information to register any sites on the interim Aboriginal heritage sites register. This procedure ensures that the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee does not use up valuable meeting time in considering site description information that is patently insufficient for it to fulfil its site evaluation functions under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972. (5) Under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, persons may be prosecuted if they breach section 17 of the Act by excavating, destroying, damaging, concealing or in any way altering an Aboriginal heritage site. Relevant departmental staff examine and assess all heritage survey reports received by the department and often liaise with the authors and bodies that commission the reports to seek additional information or clarification to achieve the best available information about Aboriginal heritage sites. (6) Over the past 18 months relevant departmental staff have had numerous discussions and engaged in correspondence with the authors of the Australian Interaction Consultants reports and the company that commissioned the Clarke report to seek clarification and additional information on the reports as appropriate (7) See answers to (5) and (6) above.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. The minister has supplied the following answer - (1) Yes and no. The acting Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Mr Bob Kucera, was briefed on these matters in October 2002. (2) See answer to (1) above. In addition, the Department of Indigenous Affairs has copies of the reports of both Australian Interaction Consultants and Clarke. Reference to those reports was made in the October 2002 ministerial briefing. (3) No. (4) No. The Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which relevant departmental staff examine all heritage survey reports that come into the possession, custody or control of the department. Departmental staff assess the content of those reports to ascertain whether they contain sufficient information to register any sites on the interim Aboriginal heritage sites register. This procedure ensures that the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee does not use up valuable meeting time in considering site description information that is patently insufficient for it to fulfil its site evaluation functions under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972. (5) Under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, persons may be prosecuted if they breach section 17 of the Act by excavating, destroying, damaging, concealing or in any way altering an Aboriginal heritage site. Relevant departmental staff examine and assess all heritage survey reports received by the department and often liaise with the authors and bodies that commission the reports to seek additional information or clarification to achieve the best available information about Aboriginal heritage sites. (6) Over the past 18 months relevant departmental staff have had numerous discussions and engaged in correspondence with the authors of the Australian Interaction Consultants reports and the company that commissioned the Clarke report to seek clarification and additional information on the reports as appropriate (7) See answers to (5) and (6) above.
(1) Yes and no. The acting Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Mr Bob Kucera, was briefed on these matters in October 2002. (2) See answer to (1) above. In addition, the Department of Indigenous Affairs has copies of the reports of both Australian Interaction Consultants and Clarke. Reference to those reports was made in the October 2002 ministerial briefing. (3) No. (4) No. The Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which relevant departmental staff examine all heritage survey reports that come into the possession, custody or control of the department. Departmental staff assess the content of those reports to ascertain whether they contain sufficient information to register any sites on the interim Aboriginal heritage sites register. This procedure ensures that the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee does not use up valuable meeting time in considering site description information that is patently insufficient for it to fulfil its site evaluation functions under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972. (5) Under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, persons may be prosecuted if they breach section 17 of the Act by excavating, destroying, damaging, concealing or in any way altering an Aboriginal heritage site. Relevant departmental staff examine and assess all heritage survey reports received by the department and often liaise with the authors and bodies that commission the reports to seek additional information or clarification to achieve the best available information about Aboriginal heritage sites. (6) Over the past 18 months relevant departmental staff have had numerous discussions and engaged in correspondence with the authors of the Australian Interaction Consultants reports and the company that commissioned the Clarke report to seek clarification and additional information on the reports as appropriate (7) See answers to (5) and (6) above.
(2) See answer to (1) above. In addition, the Department of Indigenous Affairs has copies of the reports of both Australian Interaction Consultants and Clarke. Reference to those reports was made in the October 2002 ministerial briefing. (3) No. (4) No. The Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which relevant departmental staff examine all heritage survey reports that come into the possession, custody or control of the department. Departmental staff assess the content of those reports to ascertain whether they contain sufficient information to register any sites on the interim Aboriginal heritage sites register. This procedure ensures that the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee does not use up valuable meeting time in considering site description information that is patently insufficient for it to fulfil its site evaluation functions under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972. (5) Under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, persons may be prosecuted if they breach section 17 of the Act by excavating, destroying, damaging, concealing or in any way altering an Aboriginal heritage site. Relevant departmental staff examine and assess all heritage survey reports received by the department and often liaise with the authors and bodies that commission the reports to seek additional information or clarification to achieve the best available information about Aboriginal heritage sites. (6) Over the past 18 months relevant departmental staff have had numerous discussions and engaged in correspondence with the authors of the Australian Interaction Consultants reports and the company that commissioned the Clarke report to seek clarification and additional information on the reports as appropriate (7) See answers to (5) and (6) above.
(3) No. (4) No. The Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which relevant departmental staff examine all heritage survey reports that come into the possession, custody or control of the department. Departmental staff assess the content of those reports to ascertain whether they contain sufficient information to register any sites on the interim Aboriginal heritage sites register. This procedure ensures that the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee does not use up valuable meeting time in considering site description information that is patently insufficient for it to fulfil its site evaluation functions under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972. (5) Under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, persons may be prosecuted if they breach section 17 of the Act by excavating, destroying, damaging, concealing or in any way altering an Aboriginal heritage site. Relevant departmental staff examine and assess all heritage survey reports received by the department and often liaise with the authors and bodies that commission the reports to seek additional information or clarification to achieve the best available information about Aboriginal heritage sites. (6) Over the past 18 months relevant departmental staff have had numerous discussions and engaged in correspondence with the authors of the Australian Interaction Consultants reports and the company that commissioned the Clarke report to seek clarification and additional information on the reports as appropriate (7) See answers to (5) and (6) above.
(4) No. The Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which relevant departmental staff examine all heritage survey reports that come into the possession, custody or control of the department. Departmental staff assess the content of those reports to ascertain whether they contain sufficient information to register any sites on the interim Aboriginal heritage sites register. This procedure ensures that the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee does not use up valuable meeting time in considering site description information that is patently insufficient for it to fulfil its site evaluation functions under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972. (5) Under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, persons may be prosecuted if they breach section 17 of the Act by excavating, destroying, damaging, concealing or in any way altering an Aboriginal heritage site. Relevant departmental staff examine and assess all heritage survey reports received by the department and often liaise with the authors and bodies that commission the reports to seek additional information or clarification to achieve the best available information about Aboriginal heritage sites. (6) Over the past 18 months relevant departmental staff have had numerous discussions and engaged in correspondence with the authors of the Australian Interaction Consultants reports and the company that commissioned the Clarke report to seek clarification and additional information on the reports as appropriate (7) See answers to (5) and (6) above.
(5) Under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, persons may be prosecuted if they breach section 17 of the Act by excavating, destroying, damaging, concealing or in any way altering an Aboriginal heritage site. Relevant departmental staff examine and assess all heritage survey reports received by the department and often liaise with the authors and bodies that commission the reports to seek additional information or clarification to achieve the best available information about Aboriginal heritage sites. (6) Over the past 18 months relevant departmental staff have had numerous discussions and engaged in correspondence with the authors of the Australian Interaction Consultants reports and the company that commissioned the Clarke report to seek clarification and additional information on the reports as appropriate (7) See answers to (5) and (6) above.
(6) Over the past 18 months relevant departmental staff have had numerous discussions and engaged in correspondence with the authors of the Australian Interaction Consultants reports and the company that commissioned the Clarke report to seek clarification and additional information on the reports as appropriate (7) See answers to (5) and (6) above.
(7) See answers to (5) and (6) above.
I refer to Portman Ltd’s Koolyanobbing expansion and ask - (1) Is the minister aware that Australian Interaction Consultants conducted three indigenous heritage surveys for Portman Ltd prior to Philip Clarke being engaged by the company, and is the minister in possession of all those documents? (2) Is the minister aware that those documents contain information about heritage sites within the project area that was omitted from the final reports provided to the department by Portman Ltd and Clarke? (3) Is the minister aware that this incomplete information was also supplied to the Environmental Protection Authority in the course of applying for environmental approvals? (4) Will the minister ensure that the reports of Australian Interaction Consultants are supplied to the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee so that it can determine whether Portman Ltd should apply for section 18 clearances under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972? (5) What measures are available to the minister to prosecute companies that provide incomplete and misleading heritage information to government departments? (6) Will the minister pursue these measures in the case of Portman Ltd? (7) If no to (6), why not? Hon GRAHAM GIFFARD replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The minister has supplied the following answer - (1) Yes and no. The acting Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Mr Bob Kucera, was briefed on these matters in October 2002. (2) See answer to (1) above. In addition, the Department of Indigenous Affairs has copies of the reports of both Australian Interaction Consultants and Clarke. Reference to those reports was made in the October 2002 ministerial briefing. (3) No. (4) No. The Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which relevant departmental staff examine all heritage survey reports that come into the possession, custody or control of the department. Departmental staff assess the content of those reports to ascertain whether they contain sufficient information to register any sites on the interim Aboriginal heritage sites register. This procedure ensures that the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee does not use up valuable meeting time in considering site description information that is patently insufficient for it to fulfil its site evaluation functions under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972. (5) Under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, persons may be prosecuted if they breach section 17 of the Act by excavating, destroying, damaging, concealing or in any way altering an Aboriginal heritage site. Relevant departmental staff examine and assess all heritage survey reports received by the department and often liaise with the authors and bodies that commission the reports to seek additional information or clarification to achieve the best available information about Aboriginal heritage sites. (6) Over the past 18 months relevant departmental staff have had numerous discussions and engaged in correspondence with the authors of the Australian Interaction Consultants reports and the company that commissioned the Clarke report to seek clarification and additional information on the reports as appropriate (7) See answers to (5) and (6) above.
(1) Is the minister aware that Australian Interaction Consultants conducted three indigenous heritage surveys for Portman Ltd prior to Philip Clarke being engaged by the company, and is the minister in possession of all those documents? (2) Is the minister aware that those documents contain information about heritage sites within the project area that was omitted from the final reports provided to the department by Portman Ltd and Clarke? (3) Is the minister aware that this incomplete information was also supplied to the Environmental Protection Authority in the course of applying for environmental approvals? (4) Will the minister ensure that the reports of Australian Interaction Consultants are supplied to the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee so that it can determine whether Portman Ltd should apply for section 18 clearances under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972? (5) What measures are available to the minister to prosecute companies that provide incomplete and misleading heritage information to government departments? (6) Will the minister pursue these measures in the case of Portman Ltd? (7) If no to (6), why not? Hon GRAHAM GIFFARD replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The minister has supplied the following answer - (1) Yes and no. The acting Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Mr Bob Kucera, was briefed on these matters in October 2002. (2) See answer to (1) above. In addition, the Department of Indigenous Affairs has copies of the reports of both Australian Interaction Consultants and Clarke. Reference to those reports was made in the October 2002 ministerial briefing. (3) No. (4) No. The Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which relevant departmental staff examine all heritage survey reports that come into the possession, custody or control of the department. Departmental staff assess the content of those reports to ascertain whether they contain sufficient information to register any sites on the interim Aboriginal heritage sites register. This procedure ensures that the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee does not use up valuable meeting time in considering site description information that is patently insufficient for it to fulfil its site evaluation functions under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972. (5) Under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, persons may be prosecuted if they breach section 17 of the Act by excavating, destroying, damaging, concealing or in any way altering an Aboriginal heritage site. Relevant departmental staff examine and assess all heritage survey reports received by the department and often liaise with the authors and bodies that commission the reports to seek additional information or clarification to achieve the best available information about Aboriginal heritage sites. (6) Over the past 18 months relevant departmental staff have had numerous discussions and engaged in correspondence with the authors of the Australian Interaction Consultants reports and the company that commissioned the Clarke report to seek clarification and additional information on the reports as appropriate (7) See answers to (5) and (6) above.
(2) Is the minister aware that those documents contain information about heritage sites within the project area that was omitted from the final reports provided to the department by Portman Ltd and Clarke? (3) Is the minister aware that this incomplete information was also supplied to the Environmental Protection Authority in the course of applying for environmental approvals? (4) Will the minister ensure that the reports of Australian Interaction Consultants are supplied to the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee so that it can determine whether Portman Ltd should apply for section 18 clearances under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972? (5) What measures are available to the minister to prosecute companies that provide incomplete and misleading heritage information to government departments? (6) Will the minister pursue these measures in the case of Portman Ltd? (7) If no to (6), why not? Hon GRAHAM GIFFARD replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The minister has supplied the following answer - (1) Yes and no. The acting Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Mr Bob Kucera, was briefed on these matters in October 2002. (2) See answer to (1) above. In addition, the Department of Indigenous Affairs has copies of the reports of both Australian Interaction Consultants and Clarke. Reference to those reports was made in the October 2002 ministerial briefing. (3) No. (4) No. The Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which relevant departmental staff examine all heritage survey reports that come into the possession, custody or control of the department. Departmental staff assess the content of those reports to ascertain whether they contain sufficient information to register any sites on the interim Aboriginal heritage sites register. This procedure ensures that the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee does not use up valuable meeting time in considering site description information that is patently insufficient for it to fulfil its site evaluation functions under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972. (5) Under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, persons may be prosecuted if they breach section 17 of the Act by excavating, destroying, damaging, concealing or in any way altering an Aboriginal heritage site. Relevant departmental staff examine and assess all heritage survey reports received by the department and often liaise with the authors and bodies that commission the reports to seek additional information or clarification to achieve the best available information about Aboriginal heritage sites. (6) Over the past 18 months relevant departmental staff have had numerous discussions and engaged in correspondence with the authors of the Australian Interaction Consultants reports and the company that commissioned the Clarke report to seek clarification and additional information on the reports as appropriate (7) See answers to (5) and (6) above.
(3) Is the minister aware that this incomplete information was also supplied to the Environmental Protection Authority in the course of applying for environmental approvals? (4) Will the minister ensure that the reports of Australian Interaction Consultants are supplied to the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee so that it can determine whether Portman Ltd should apply for section 18 clearances under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972? (5) What measures are available to the minister to prosecute companies that provide incomplete and misleading heritage information to government departments? (6) Will the minister pursue these measures in the case of Portman Ltd? (7) If no to (6), why not? Hon GRAHAM GIFFARD replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The minister has supplied the following answer - (1) Yes and no. The acting Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Mr Bob Kucera, was briefed on these matters in October 2002. (2) See answer to (1) above. In addition, the Department of Indigenous Affairs has copies of the reports of both Australian Interaction Consultants and Clarke. Reference to those reports was made in the October 2002 ministerial briefing. (3) No. (4) No. The Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which relevant departmental staff examine all heritage survey reports that come into the possession, custody or control of the department. Departmental staff assess the content of those reports to ascertain whether they contain sufficient information to register any sites on the interim Aboriginal heritage sites register. This procedure ensures that the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee does not use up valuable meeting time in considering site description information that is patently insufficient for it to fulfil its site evaluation functions under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972. (5) Under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, persons may be prosecuted if they breach section 17 of the Act by excavating, destroying, damaging, concealing or in any way altering an Aboriginal heritage site. Relevant departmental staff examine and assess all heritage survey reports received by the department and often liaise with the authors and bodies that commission the reports to seek additional information or clarification to achieve the best available information about Aboriginal heritage sites. (6) Over the past 18 months relevant departmental staff have had numerous discussions and engaged in correspondence with the authors of the Australian Interaction Consultants reports and the company that commissioned the Clarke report to seek clarification and additional information on the reports as appropriate (7) See answers to (5) and (6) above.
(4) Will the minister ensure that the reports of Australian Interaction Consultants are supplied to the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee so that it can determine whether Portman Ltd should apply for section 18 clearances under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972? (5) What measures are available to the minister to prosecute companies that provide incomplete and misleading heritage information to government departments? (6) Will the minister pursue these measures in the case of Portman Ltd? (7) If no to (6), why not? Hon GRAHAM GIFFARD replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The minister has supplied the following answer - (1) Yes and no. The acting Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Mr Bob Kucera, was briefed on these matters in October 2002. (2) See answer to (1) above. In addition, the Department of Indigenous Affairs has copies of the reports of both Australian Interaction Consultants and Clarke. Reference to those reports was made in the October 2002 ministerial briefing. (3) No. (4) No. The Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which relevant departmental staff examine all heritage survey reports that come into the possession, custody or control of the department. Departmental staff assess the content of those reports to ascertain whether they contain sufficient information to register any sites on the interim Aboriginal heritage sites register. This procedure ensures that the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee does not use up valuable meeting time in considering site description information that is patently insufficient for it to fulfil its site evaluation functions under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972. (5) Under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, persons may be prosecuted if they breach section 17 of the Act by excavating, destroying, damaging, concealing or in any way altering an Aboriginal heritage site. Relevant departmental staff examine and assess all heritage survey reports received by the department and often liaise with the authors and bodies that commission the reports to seek additional information or clarification to achieve the best available information about Aboriginal heritage sites. (6) Over the past 18 months relevant departmental staff have had numerous discussions and engaged in correspondence with the authors of the Australian Interaction Consultants reports and the company that commissioned the Clarke report to seek clarification and additional information on the reports as appropriate (7) See answers to (5) and (6) above.
(5) What measures are available to the minister to prosecute companies that provide incomplete and misleading heritage information to government departments? (6) Will the minister pursue these measures in the case of Portman Ltd? (7) If no to (6), why not? Hon GRAHAM GIFFARD replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The minister has supplied the following answer - (1) Yes and no. The acting Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Mr Bob Kucera, was briefed on these matters in October 2002. (2) See answer to (1) above. In addition, the Department of Indigenous Affairs has copies of the reports of both Australian Interaction Consultants and Clarke. Reference to those reports was made in the October 2002 ministerial briefing. (3) No. (4) No. The Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which relevant departmental staff examine all heritage survey reports that come into the possession, custody or control of the department. Departmental staff assess the content of those reports to ascertain whether they contain sufficient information to register any sites on the interim Aboriginal heritage sites register. This procedure ensures that the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee does not use up valuable meeting time in considering site description information that is patently insufficient for it to fulfil its site evaluation functions under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972. (5) Under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, persons may be prosecuted if they breach section 17 of the Act by excavating, destroying, damaging, concealing or in any way altering an Aboriginal heritage site. Relevant departmental staff examine and assess all heritage survey reports received by the department and often liaise with the authors and bodies that commission the reports to seek additional information or clarification to achieve the best available information about Aboriginal heritage sites. (6) Over the past 18 months relevant departmental staff have had numerous discussions and engaged in correspondence with the authors of the Australian Interaction Consultants reports and the company that commissioned the Clarke report to seek clarification and additional information on the reports as appropriate (7) See answers to (5) and (6) above.
(6) Will the minister pursue these measures in the case of Portman Ltd? (7) If no to (6), why not? Hon GRAHAM GIFFARD replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The minister has supplied the following answer - (1) Yes and no. The acting Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Mr Bob Kucera, was briefed on these matters in October 2002. (2) See answer to (1) above. In addition, the Department of Indigenous Affairs has copies of the reports of both Australian Interaction Consultants and Clarke. Reference to those reports was made in the October 2002 ministerial briefing. (3) No. (4) No. The Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which relevant departmental staff examine all heritage survey reports that come into the possession, custody or control of the department. Departmental staff assess the content of those reports to ascertain whether they contain sufficient information to register any sites on the interim Aboriginal heritage sites register. This procedure ensures that the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee does not use up valuable meeting time in considering site description information that is patently insufficient for it to fulfil its site evaluation functions under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972. (5) Under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, persons may be prosecuted if they breach section 17 of the Act by excavating, destroying, damaging, concealing or in any way altering an Aboriginal heritage site. Relevant departmental staff examine and assess all heritage survey reports received by the department and often liaise with the authors and bodies that commission the reports to seek additional information or clarification to achieve the best available information about Aboriginal heritage sites. (6) Over the past 18 months relevant departmental staff have had numerous discussions and engaged in correspondence with the authors of the Australian Interaction Consultants reports and the company that commissioned the Clarke report to seek clarification and additional information on the reports as appropriate (7) See answers to (5) and (6) above.
(7) If no to (6), why not? Hon GRAHAM GIFFARD replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The minister has supplied the following answer - (1) Yes and no. The acting Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Mr Bob Kucera, was briefed on these matters in October 2002. (2) See answer to (1) above. In addition, the Department of Indigenous Affairs has copies of the reports of both Australian Interaction Consultants and Clarke. Reference to those reports was made in the October 2002 ministerial briefing. (3) No. (4) No. The Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which relevant departmental staff examine all heritage survey reports that come into the possession, custody or control of the department. Departmental staff assess the content of those reports to ascertain whether they contain sufficient information to register any sites on the interim Aboriginal heritage sites register. This procedure ensures that the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee does not use up valuable meeting time in considering site description information that is patently insufficient for it to fulfil its site evaluation functions under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972. (5) Under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, persons may be prosecuted if they breach section 17 of the Act by excavating, destroying, damaging, concealing or in any way altering an Aboriginal heritage site. Relevant departmental staff examine and assess all heritage survey reports received by the department and often liaise with the authors and bodies that commission the reports to seek additional information or clarification to achieve the best available information about Aboriginal heritage sites. (6) Over the past 18 months relevant departmental staff have had numerous discussions and engaged in correspondence with the authors of the Australian Interaction Consultants reports and the company that commissioned the Clarke report to seek clarification and additional information on the reports as appropriate (7) See answers to (5) and (6) above.
Hon GRAHAM GIFFARD replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The minister has supplied the following answer - (1) Yes and no. The acting Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Mr Bob Kucera, was briefed on these matters in October 2002. (2) See answer to (1) above. In addition, the Department of Indigenous Affairs has copies of the reports of both Australian Interaction Consultants and Clarke. Reference to those reports was made in the October 2002 ministerial briefing. (3) No. (4) No. The Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which relevant departmental staff examine all heritage survey reports that come into the possession, custody or control of the department. Departmental staff assess the content of those reports to ascertain whether they contain sufficient information to register any sites on the interim Aboriginal heritage sites register. This procedure ensures that the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee does not use up valuable meeting time in considering site description information that is patently insufficient for it to fulfil its site evaluation functions under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972. (5) Under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, persons may be prosecuted if they breach section 17 of the Act by excavating, destroying, damaging, concealing or in any way altering an Aboriginal heritage site. Relevant departmental staff examine and assess all heritage survey reports received by the department and often liaise with the authors and bodies that commission the reports to seek additional information or clarification to achieve the best available information about Aboriginal heritage sites. (6) Over the past 18 months relevant departmental staff have had numerous discussions and engaged in correspondence with the authors of the Australian Interaction Consultants reports and the company that commissioned the Clarke report to seek clarification and additional information on the reports as appropriate (7) See answers to (5) and (6) above.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. The minister has supplied the following answer - (1) Yes and no. The acting Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Mr Bob Kucera, was briefed on these matters in October 2002. (2) See answer to (1) above. In addition, the Department of Indigenous Affairs has copies of the reports of both Australian Interaction Consultants and Clarke. Reference to those reports was made in the October 2002 ministerial briefing. (3) No. (4) No. The Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which relevant departmental staff examine all heritage survey reports that come into the possession, custody or control of the department. Departmental staff assess the content of those reports to ascertain whether they contain sufficient information to register any sites on the interim Aboriginal heritage sites register. This procedure ensures that the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee does not use up valuable meeting time in considering site description information that is patently insufficient for it to fulfil its site evaluation functions under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972. (5) Under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, persons may be prosecuted if they breach section 17 of the Act by excavating, destroying, damaging, concealing or in any way altering an Aboriginal heritage site. Relevant departmental staff examine and assess all heritage survey reports received by the department and often liaise with the authors and bodies that commission the reports to seek additional information or clarification to achieve the best available information about Aboriginal heritage sites. (6) Over the past 18 months relevant departmental staff have had numerous discussions and engaged in correspondence with the authors of the Australian Interaction Consultants reports and the company that commissioned the Clarke report to seek clarification and additional information on the reports as appropriate (7) See answers to (5) and (6) above.
(1) Yes and no. The acting Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Mr Bob Kucera, was briefed on these matters in October 2002. (2) See answer to (1) above. In addition, the Department of Indigenous Affairs has copies of the reports of both Australian Interaction Consultants and Clarke. Reference to those reports was made in the October 2002 ministerial briefing. (3) No. (4) No. The Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which relevant departmental staff examine all heritage survey reports that come into the possession, custody or control of the department. Departmental staff assess the content of those reports to ascertain whether they contain sufficient information to register any sites on the interim Aboriginal heritage sites register. This procedure ensures that the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee does not use up valuable meeting time in considering site description information that is patently insufficient for it to fulfil its site evaluation functions under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972. (5) Under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, persons may be prosecuted if they breach section 17 of the Act by excavating, destroying, damaging, concealing or in any way altering an Aboriginal heritage site. Relevant departmental staff examine and assess all heritage survey reports received by the department and often liaise with the authors and bodies that commission the reports to seek additional information or clarification to achieve the best available information about Aboriginal heritage sites. (6) Over the past 18 months relevant departmental staff have had numerous discussions and engaged in correspondence with the authors of the Australian Interaction Consultants reports and the company that commissioned the Clarke report to seek clarification and additional information on the reports as appropriate (7) See answers to (5) and (6) above.
(2) See answer to (1) above. In addition, the Department of Indigenous Affairs has copies of the reports of both Australian Interaction Consultants and Clarke. Reference to those reports was made in the October 2002 ministerial briefing. (3) No. (4) No. The Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which relevant departmental staff examine all heritage survey reports that come into the possession, custody or control of the department. Departmental staff assess the content of those reports to ascertain whether they contain sufficient information to register any sites on the interim Aboriginal heritage sites register. This procedure ensures that the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee does not use up valuable meeting time in considering site description information that is patently insufficient for it to fulfil its site evaluation functions under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972. (5) Under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, persons may be prosecuted if they breach section 17 of the Act by excavating, destroying, damaging, concealing or in any way altering an Aboriginal heritage site. Relevant departmental staff examine and assess all heritage survey reports received by the department and often liaise with the authors and bodies that commission the reports to seek additional information or clarification to achieve the best available information about Aboriginal heritage sites. (6) Over the past 18 months relevant departmental staff have had numerous discussions and engaged in correspondence with the authors of the Australian Interaction Consultants reports and the company that commissioned the Clarke report to seek clarification and additional information on the reports as appropriate (7) See answers to (5) and (6) above.
(3) No. (4) No. The Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which relevant departmental staff examine all heritage survey reports that come into the possession, custody or control of the department. Departmental staff assess the content of those reports to ascertain whether they contain sufficient information to register any sites on the interim Aboriginal heritage sites register. This procedure ensures that the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee does not use up valuable meeting time in considering site description information that is patently insufficient for it to fulfil its site evaluation functions under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972. (5) Under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, persons may be prosecuted if they breach section 17 of the Act by excavating, destroying, damaging, concealing or in any way altering an Aboriginal heritage site. Relevant departmental staff examine and assess all heritage survey reports received by the department and often liaise with the authors and bodies that commission the reports to seek additional information or clarification to achieve the best available information about Aboriginal heritage sites. (6) Over the past 18 months relevant departmental staff have had numerous discussions and engaged in correspondence with the authors of the Australian Interaction Consultants reports and the company that commissioned the Clarke report to seek clarification and additional information on the reports as appropriate (7) See answers to (5) and (6) above.
(4) No. The Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which relevant departmental staff examine all heritage survey reports that come into the possession, custody or control of the department. Departmental staff assess the content of those reports to ascertain whether they contain sufficient information to register any sites on the interim Aboriginal heritage sites register. This procedure ensures that the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee does not use up valuable meeting time in considering site description information that is patently insufficient for it to fulfil its site evaluation functions under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972. (5) Under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, persons may be prosecuted if they breach section 17 of the Act by excavating, destroying, damaging, concealing or in any way altering an Aboriginal heritage site. Relevant departmental staff examine and assess all heritage survey reports received by the department and often liaise with the authors and bodies that commission the reports to seek additional information or clarification to achieve the best available information about Aboriginal heritage sites. (6) Over the past 18 months relevant departmental staff have had numerous discussions and engaged in correspondence with the authors of the Australian Interaction Consultants reports and the company that commissioned the Clarke report to seek clarification and additional information on the reports as appropriate (7) See answers to (5) and (6) above.
(5) Under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, persons may be prosecuted if they breach section 17 of the Act by excavating, destroying, damaging, concealing or in any way altering an Aboriginal heritage site. Relevant departmental staff examine and assess all heritage survey reports received by the department and often liaise with the authors and bodies that commission the reports to seek additional information or clarification to achieve the best available information about Aboriginal heritage sites. (6) Over the past 18 months relevant departmental staff have had numerous discussions and engaged in correspondence with the authors of the Australian Interaction Consultants reports and the company that commissioned the Clarke report to seek clarification and additional information on the reports as appropriate (7) See answers to (5) and (6) above.
(6) Over the past 18 months relevant departmental staff have had numerous discussions and engaged in correspondence with the authors of the Australian Interaction Consultants reports and the company that commissioned the Clarke report to seek clarification and additional information on the reports as appropriate (7) See answers to (5) and (6) above.
(7) See answers to (5) and (6) above.
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