❓ Mr. Love questions the government's delay in releasing the 'Glen Kelly Review of Native Title and Heritage Processes' and the perceived inadequate funding ($3.2 million) to address its 25 recommendations, highlighting the report's findings of systemic failures.
AnsweredQoN 324Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Native Title and Cultural Heritage Processes Review
324. Mr Shane Love to
the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs:
I
refer to Glen Kelly's Review of Native Title and Heritage
Processes in Western Australia , which details serious and long-running
failures in Western Australia's native title and Aboriginal heritage approval
system. Given the importance of fixing the system that affects traditional
owners, the resources industry and regional communities, why did the minister
and his government sit on this report for months before releasing it and why
has the government allocated just $3.2 million to respond to the review's 25
recommendations?
Visitors
The Speaker: Sorry, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs. Just before I give
you the call, on behalf of the member for Hillarys, I give a shout-out to the
student leaders and teachers from Belridge Secondary Education
Support Centre, who are just about to leave the public gallery. Welcome.
Questions without notice resumed
324. Mr Shane Love to
the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs:
I
refer to Glen Kelly's Review of Native Title and Heritage
Processes in Western Australia , which details serious and long-running
failures in Western Australia's native title and Aboriginal heritage approval
system. Given the importance of fixing the system that affects traditional
owners, the resources industry and regional communities, why did the minister
and his government sit on this report for months before releasing it and why
has the government allocated just $3.2 million to respond to the review's 25
recommendations?
Visitors
The Speaker: Sorry, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs. Just before I give
you the call, on behalf of the member for Hillarys, I give a shout-out to the
student leaders and teachers from Belridge Secondary Education
Support Centre, who are just about to leave the public gallery. Welcome.
Questions without notice resumed
AnswerView source ↗
I
thank the member for his question. These reforms strike the right balance
between protecting Aboriginal cultural heritage and giving industry greater
clarity and certainty to move forward responsibly. It is critical that both
traditional owners and industry have confidence in the system that respects,
protects and appropriately manages Aboriginal cultural heritage as well as
native title. By introducing clearer standards and better access to
information, we are reducing delays, improving transparency and building
stronger partnerships between industry and Aboriginal communities, which reflects
extensive consultation. The findings of the Kelly review demonstrate our
government's commitment to working collaboratively with traditional owners.
I
find it interesting that members of the opposition alliance have suddenly found
an interest in Aboriginal heritage. Most of the time they are in here, they
criticise it and tear it apart.
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Sorry, minister—please pause. Member for Central Wheatbelt, I am calling you for the first time. You do not get to just consistently
yell like that across the chamber.
Ms Rita Saffioti interjected.
The Speaker: Treasurer!
Mr Don Punch: As I was saying, I find it really odd that
the opposition alliance suddenly has a new-found interest in this issue,
because it certainly has no interest whatsoever in the rich heritage that we
share. Its members continually come in this place to try to tear that apart.
This government is about continuous improvement. It is about looking at how we
can make our systems better, and that is what we are doing with this review. We
received the review in February. We have considered it, but it is a complex
area, as the member knows. It is incredibly complex and we will work—
Several
members interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr Don Punch: —with industry and traditional owners to
get the best outcomes for traditional owners, industry and the state of Western
Australia to protect our collective heritage, which members opposite have no
interest in doing.
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt, I call you for the second
time. You do not yell across the chamber. You are very lucky,
Leader of the Nationals; I will let you have your supplementary.
thank the member for his question. These reforms strike the right balance
between protecting Aboriginal cultural heritage and giving industry greater
clarity and certainty to move forward responsibly. It is critical that both
traditional owners and industry have confidence in the system that respects,
protects and appropriately manages Aboriginal cultural heritage as well as
native title. By introducing clearer standards and better access to
information, we are reducing delays, improving transparency and building
stronger partnerships between industry and Aboriginal communities, which reflects
extensive consultation. The findings of the Kelly review demonstrate our
government's commitment to working collaboratively with traditional owners.
I
find it interesting that members of the opposition alliance have suddenly found
an interest in Aboriginal heritage. Most of the time they are in here, they
criticise it and tear it apart.
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Sorry, minister—please pause. Member for Central Wheatbelt, I am calling you for the first time. You do not get to just consistently
yell like that across the chamber.
Ms Rita Saffioti interjected.
The Speaker: Treasurer!
Mr Don Punch: As I was saying, I find it really odd that
the opposition alliance suddenly has a new-found interest in this issue,
because it certainly has no interest whatsoever in the rich heritage that we
share. Its members continually come in this place to try to tear that apart.
This government is about continuous improvement. It is about looking at how we
can make our systems better, and that is what we are doing with this review. We
received the review in February. We have considered it, but it is a complex
area, as the member knows. It is incredibly complex and we will work—
Several
members interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr Don Punch: —with industry and traditional owners to
get the best outcomes for traditional owners, industry and the state of Western
Australia to protect our collective heritage, which members opposite have no
interest in doing.
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt, I call you for the second
time. You do not yell across the chamber. You are very lucky,
Leader of the Nationals; I will let you have your supplementary.
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