❓ Mr. Love questions the Premier's change of stance on the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2021, asking what triggered the shift from support to deeming it unworkable. The Premier claims he listened to the people of WA and acted in their best interests.
AnsweredQoN 479Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ABORIGINAL
CULTURAL HERITAGE ACT — PREMIER'S COMMENTS
479. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Premier:
I refer to the Premier's
comments in this place not six weeks ago that —
This important legislation must be
put in place as a matter of urgency. This legislation was passed over 18 months
ago; we are ready to go.
�
These laws are not radical. These
laws are ready to go.
I also note the Premier's
absolute dismissal of the questions, concerns and objections raised by the
opposition and the community during the implementation period of the Aboriginal
Cultural Heritage Act 2021.
What was the trigger that changed
the Premier's mind from calling the legislation ''modest changes''
to it becoming ''unworkable'', ''burdensome'' and ''prescriptive'';
and was it the legal advice the Premier obtained that caused his change of
heart?
CULTURAL HERITAGE ACT — PREMIER'S COMMENTS
479. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Premier:
I refer to the Premier's
comments in this place not six weeks ago that —
This important legislation must be
put in place as a matter of urgency. This legislation was passed over 18 months
ago; we are ready to go.
�
These laws are not radical. These
laws are ready to go.
I also note the Premier's
absolute dismissal of the questions, concerns and objections raised by the
opposition and the community during the implementation period of the Aboriginal
Cultural Heritage Act 2021.
What was the trigger that changed
the Premier's mind from calling the legislation ''modest changes''
to it becoming ''unworkable'', ''burdensome'' and ''prescriptive'';
and was it the legal advice the Premier obtained that caused his change of
heart?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question.
As I have said repeatedly in this place, upon becoming Premier of Western Australia
I undertook a very solemn commitment to the people of Western Australia, and
that is that I will listen. I will listen, hear and, where appropriate, make
decisions and act, and that is what we did in this particular case. These laws were crafted over a five-year
period, with many people from industry, the community and all walks of life
having input into their structure and nature. The laws were passed in this
place with the support of members opposite in 2021—18 months ago.
Officials have been working on the regulations ever since to put them in place,
so the laws were ready to go, but at the start of the implementation of the act
we put in place an implementation group whose job was to listen to the
community and continue to advise the government in relation to these matters. I
received advice from them and I received advice from members of the community,
both personally and in the official meetings that I had from time to time. It
became clear to me that the laws were not going to work and were unworkable,
and therefore we had to listen to those concerns and take decisive action, and
that is what we did.
The final part of the member's
question was: did we act on legal advice? We acted on the advice of the people
of Western Australia. They are the people I listen to. As a result of that
listening exercise, I heard their concerns, we made a decision and we acted,
because it was in the best interests of Western Australia. As I have always
said, we govern for all Western Australians.
As I have said repeatedly in this place, upon becoming Premier of Western Australia
I undertook a very solemn commitment to the people of Western Australia, and
that is that I will listen. I will listen, hear and, where appropriate, make
decisions and act, and that is what we did in this particular case. These laws were crafted over a five-year
period, with many people from industry, the community and all walks of life
having input into their structure and nature. The laws were passed in this
place with the support of members opposite in 2021—18 months ago.
Officials have been working on the regulations ever since to put them in place,
so the laws were ready to go, but at the start of the implementation of the act
we put in place an implementation group whose job was to listen to the
community and continue to advise the government in relation to these matters. I
received advice from them and I received advice from members of the community,
both personally and in the official meetings that I had from time to time. It
became clear to me that the laws were not going to work and were unworkable,
and therefore we had to listen to those concerns and take decisive action, and
that is what we did.
The final part of the member's
question was: did we act on legal advice? We acted on the advice of the people
of Western Australia. They are the people I listen to. As a result of that
listening exercise, I heard their concerns, we made a decision and we acted,
because it was in the best interests of Western Australia. As I have always
said, we govern for all Western Australians.
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