❓ Hon Neil Thomson asks about the definition and scope of Aboriginal Cultural Heritage (ACH) under the new Act, including the number of listed sites and whether ACH can exist outside of the directory. The Minister's response clarifies the definition, confirms the number of sites, and acknowledges Aboriginal people's role in determining ACH.
AnsweredQoN 610Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
ABORIGINAL CULTURAL HERITAGE ACT
610. Hon NEIL THOMSON to the Leader of the House representing the
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs:
I refer to the Aboriginal cultural
heritage management code and flowchart 3 outlining the due diligence assessment for a tier 2 activity, published on the
Department of Planning Lands and Heritage website, which requires proponents and landowners to assess whether Aboriginal cultural heritage exists on the
site of their proposed works.
(1) Is ACH defined to include all
ACH listings on the directory?
(2) Approximately
how many ACH sites are listed, noting that in a recent 6PR radio interview, a department
official indicated that there were about 30 000 sites?
(3) Can ACH exist where a site is
not listed?
(4) Is there anywhere in Western Australia
where ACH does not exist?
610. Hon NEIL THOMSON to the Leader of the House representing the
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs:
I refer to the Aboriginal cultural
heritage management code and flowchart 3 outlining the due diligence assessment for a tier 2 activity, published on the
Department of Planning Lands and Heritage website, which requires proponents and landowners to assess whether Aboriginal cultural heritage exists on the
site of their proposed works.
(1) Is ACH defined to include all
ACH listings on the directory?
(2) Approximately
how many ACH sites are listed, noting that in a recent 6PR radio interview, a department
official indicated that there were about 30 000 sites?
(3) Can ACH exist where a site is
not listed?
(4) Is there anywhere in Western Australia
where ACH does not exist?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1) Yes. The
definition of ''Aboriginal cultural heritage'' is in section 12
of the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act
2021. The new directory will include all the existing ACH information that the
Department of Planning , Lands and Heritage has on the register of
Aboriginal sites, as well as all the places for which information has been
lodged but which has not been formally assessed by the Aboriginal Cultural
Material Committee. New information on ACH will be able to be lodged via the
new ICT system.
(2) There are currently over 30 000
registered sites and lodged places listed.
(3) Yes.
(4) ACH needs to
meet the definition set out in the act. The act and the definition of ACH
recognise the living, historical and traditional nature of ACH. It is for
Aboriginal people to determine where ACH does and does not exist.
some notice of the question.
(1) Yes. The
definition of ''Aboriginal cultural heritage'' is in section 12
of the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act
2021. The new directory will include all the existing ACH information that the
Department of Planning , Lands and Heritage has on the register of
Aboriginal sites, as well as all the places for which information has been
lodged but which has not been formally assessed by the Aboriginal Cultural
Material Committee. New information on ACH will be able to be lodged via the
new ICT system.
(2) There are currently over 30 000
registered sites and lodged places listed.
(3) Yes.
(4) ACH needs to
meet the definition set out in the act. The act and the definition of ACH
recognise the living, historical and traditional nature of ACH. It is for
Aboriginal people to determine where ACH does and does not exist.
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