❓ A WA parliamentary question probes the legal basis and qualifications for the Department's screening of information related to Aboriginal heritage sites, particularly concerning Portman Ltd's project area. The Minister's response outlines departmental policies and staff qualifications.
AnsweredQoN 743Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to question without notice 706 on 13 March 2003 and the answers given. (1) Will the minister describe where in the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 or Aboriginal Heritage Regulations 1974 it is stated that the department can legally screen the information reaching the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee, as described in (4) of the minister’s answer? (2) What qualifications are relevant departmental staff required to have to ascertain whether material should be passed to the ACMC for consideration? (3) Will the minister describe what clarification and additional information the department requires to concede that areas within Portman Ltd’s project area are sites of significance to indigenous people? Hon GRAHAM GIFFARD
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 and the Aboriginal Heritage Regulations 1974 are supported in their administration by a range of policies and procedures designed to ensure that the information contained in the Aboriginal heritage register, and other similar information, is as accurate and comprehensive as possible. As mentioned in the answer to the previous set of questions, the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which preliminary evaluative work, which includes liaison with site informants and/or relevant heritage consultants to augment or clarify available information, is carried out by relevant departmental officers to enable the ACMC to efficaciously carry out its site evaluation and assessment functions. (2) The examination and assessment work described in the answer to (1) is routinely undertaken by the department’s senior heritage officers, the heritage assessment officer and the team leader, heritage information. It is standard departmental practice that the persons occupying each of these positions hold tertiary qualifications in a relevant discipline. Currently, all such officers are trained and experienced anthropologists or archaeologists. The department has recently appointed a principal policy officer, heritage, to ensure the maintenance of departmental standards in all areas of heritage administration. (3) The clarification and further information required to enable relevant departmental officers to consider whether to proceed with preliminary registration processes related to places that fall within the Portman Ltd project area have been provided to the relevant Aboriginal heritage consultant on a number of occasions in the past, including at meetings with departmental officers - in some cases with the then chairperson of the ACMC - and in writing. With the consent of that consultant, the minister is happy to table relevant correspondence before the House.
(1) Will the minister describe where in the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 or Aboriginal Heritage Regulations 1974 it is stated that the department can legally screen the information reaching the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee, as described in (4) of the minister’s answer? (2) What qualifications are relevant departmental staff required to have to ascertain whether material should be passed to the ACMC for consideration? (3) Will the minister describe what clarification and additional information the department requires to concede that areas within Portman Ltd’s project area are sites of significance to indigenous people? Hon GRAHAM GIFFARD replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 and the Aboriginal Heritage Regulations 1974 are supported in their administration by a range of policies and procedures designed to ensure that the information contained in the Aboriginal heritage register, and other similar information, is as accurate and comprehensive as possible. As mentioned in the answer to the previous set of questions, the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which preliminary evaluative work, which includes liaison with site informants and/or relevant heritage consultants to augment or clarify available information, is carried out by relevant departmental officers to enable the ACMC to efficaciously carry out its site evaluation and assessment functions. (2) The examination and assessment work described in the answer to (1) is routinely undertaken by the department’s senior heritage officers, the heritage assessment officer and the team leader, heritage information. It is standard departmental practice that the persons occupying each of these positions hold tertiary qualifications in a relevant discipline. Currently, all such officers are trained and experienced anthropologists or archaeologists. The department has recently appointed a principal policy officer, heritage, to ensure the maintenance of departmental standards in all areas of heritage administration. (3) The clarification and further information required to enable relevant departmental officers to consider whether to proceed with preliminary registration processes related to places that fall within the Portman Ltd project area have been provided to the relevant Aboriginal heritage consultant on a number of occasions in the past, including at meetings with departmental officers - in some cases with the then chairperson of the ACMC - and in writing. With the consent of that consultant, the minister is happy to table relevant correspondence before the House.
(2) What qualifications are relevant departmental staff required to have to ascertain whether material should be passed to the ACMC for consideration? (3) Will the minister describe what clarification and additional information the department requires to concede that areas within Portman Ltd’s project area are sites of significance to indigenous people? Hon GRAHAM GIFFARD replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 and the Aboriginal Heritage Regulations 1974 are supported in their administration by a range of policies and procedures designed to ensure that the information contained in the Aboriginal heritage register, and other similar information, is as accurate and comprehensive as possible. As mentioned in the answer to the previous set of questions, the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which preliminary evaluative work, which includes liaison with site informants and/or relevant heritage consultants to augment or clarify available information, is carried out by relevant departmental officers to enable the ACMC to efficaciously carry out its site evaluation and assessment functions. (2) The examination and assessment work described in the answer to (1) is routinely undertaken by the department’s senior heritage officers, the heritage assessment officer and the team leader, heritage information. It is standard departmental practice that the persons occupying each of these positions hold tertiary qualifications in a relevant discipline. Currently, all such officers are trained and experienced anthropologists or archaeologists. The department has recently appointed a principal policy officer, heritage, to ensure the maintenance of departmental standards in all areas of heritage administration. (3) The clarification and further information required to enable relevant departmental officers to consider whether to proceed with preliminary registration processes related to places that fall within the Portman Ltd project area have been provided to the relevant Aboriginal heritage consultant on a number of occasions in the past, including at meetings with departmental officers - in some cases with the then chairperson of the ACMC - and in writing. With the consent of that consultant, the minister is happy to table relevant correspondence before the House.
(3) Will the minister describe what clarification and additional information the department requires to concede that areas within Portman Ltd’s project area are sites of significance to indigenous people? Hon GRAHAM GIFFARD replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 and the Aboriginal Heritage Regulations 1974 are supported in their administration by a range of policies and procedures designed to ensure that the information contained in the Aboriginal heritage register, and other similar information, is as accurate and comprehensive as possible. As mentioned in the answer to the previous set of questions, the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which preliminary evaluative work, which includes liaison with site informants and/or relevant heritage consultants to augment or clarify available information, is carried out by relevant departmental officers to enable the ACMC to efficaciously carry out its site evaluation and assessment functions. (2) The examination and assessment work described in the answer to (1) is routinely undertaken by the department’s senior heritage officers, the heritage assessment officer and the team leader, heritage information. It is standard departmental practice that the persons occupying each of these positions hold tertiary qualifications in a relevant discipline. Currently, all such officers are trained and experienced anthropologists or archaeologists. The department has recently appointed a principal policy officer, heritage, to ensure the maintenance of departmental standards in all areas of heritage administration. (3) The clarification and further information required to enable relevant departmental officers to consider whether to proceed with preliminary registration processes related to places that fall within the Portman Ltd project area have been provided to the relevant Aboriginal heritage consultant on a number of occasions in the past, including at meetings with departmental officers - in some cases with the then chairperson of the ACMC - and in writing. With the consent of that consultant, the minister is happy to table relevant correspondence before the House.
Hon GRAHAM GIFFARD replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 and the Aboriginal Heritage Regulations 1974 are supported in their administration by a range of policies and procedures designed to ensure that the information contained in the Aboriginal heritage register, and other similar information, is as accurate and comprehensive as possible. As mentioned in the answer to the previous set of questions, the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which preliminary evaluative work, which includes liaison with site informants and/or relevant heritage consultants to augment or clarify available information, is carried out by relevant departmental officers to enable the ACMC to efficaciously carry out its site evaluation and assessment functions. (2) The examination and assessment work described in the answer to (1) is routinely undertaken by the department’s senior heritage officers, the heritage assessment officer and the team leader, heritage information. It is standard departmental practice that the persons occupying each of these positions hold tertiary qualifications in a relevant discipline. Currently, all such officers are trained and experienced anthropologists or archaeologists. The department has recently appointed a principal policy officer, heritage, to ensure the maintenance of departmental standards in all areas of heritage administration. (3) The clarification and further information required to enable relevant departmental officers to consider whether to proceed with preliminary registration processes related to places that fall within the Portman Ltd project area have been provided to the relevant Aboriginal heritage consultant on a number of occasions in the past, including at meetings with departmental officers - in some cases with the then chairperson of the ACMC - and in writing. With the consent of that consultant, the minister is happy to table relevant correspondence before the House.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 and the Aboriginal Heritage Regulations 1974 are supported in their administration by a range of policies and procedures designed to ensure that the information contained in the Aboriginal heritage register, and other similar information, is as accurate and comprehensive as possible. As mentioned in the answer to the previous set of questions, the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which preliminary evaluative work, which includes liaison with site informants and/or relevant heritage consultants to augment or clarify available information, is carried out by relevant departmental officers to enable the ACMC to efficaciously carry out its site evaluation and assessment functions. (2) The examination and assessment work described in the answer to (1) is routinely undertaken by the department’s senior heritage officers, the heritage assessment officer and the team leader, heritage information. It is standard departmental practice that the persons occupying each of these positions hold tertiary qualifications in a relevant discipline. Currently, all such officers are trained and experienced anthropologists or archaeologists. The department has recently appointed a principal policy officer, heritage, to ensure the maintenance of departmental standards in all areas of heritage administration. (3) The clarification and further information required to enable relevant departmental officers to consider whether to proceed with preliminary registration processes related to places that fall within the Portman Ltd project area have been provided to the relevant Aboriginal heritage consultant on a number of occasions in the past, including at meetings with departmental officers - in some cases with the then chairperson of the ACMC - and in writing. With the consent of that consultant, the minister is happy to table relevant correspondence before the House.
(1) The Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 and the Aboriginal Heritage Regulations 1974 are supported in their administration by a range of policies and procedures designed to ensure that the information contained in the Aboriginal heritage register, and other similar information, is as accurate and comprehensive as possible. As mentioned in the answer to the previous set of questions, the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which preliminary evaluative work, which includes liaison with site informants and/or relevant heritage consultants to augment or clarify available information, is carried out by relevant departmental officers to enable the ACMC to efficaciously carry out its site evaluation and assessment functions. (2) The examination and assessment work described in the answer to (1) is routinely undertaken by the department’s senior heritage officers, the heritage assessment officer and the team leader, heritage information. It is standard departmental practice that the persons occupying each of these positions hold tertiary qualifications in a relevant discipline. Currently, all such officers are trained and experienced anthropologists or archaeologists. The department has recently appointed a principal policy officer, heritage, to ensure the maintenance of departmental standards in all areas of heritage administration. (3) The clarification and further information required to enable relevant departmental officers to consider whether to proceed with preliminary registration processes related to places that fall within the Portman Ltd project area have been provided to the relevant Aboriginal heritage consultant on a number of occasions in the past, including at meetings with departmental officers - in some cases with the then chairperson of the ACMC - and in writing. With the consent of that consultant, the minister is happy to table relevant correspondence before the House.
(2) The examination and assessment work described in the answer to (1) is routinely undertaken by the department’s senior heritage officers, the heritage assessment officer and the team leader, heritage information. It is standard departmental practice that the persons occupying each of these positions hold tertiary qualifications in a relevant discipline. Currently, all such officers are trained and experienced anthropologists or archaeologists. The department has recently appointed a principal policy officer, heritage, to ensure the maintenance of departmental standards in all areas of heritage administration. (3) The clarification and further information required to enable relevant departmental officers to consider whether to proceed with preliminary registration processes related to places that fall within the Portman Ltd project area have been provided to the relevant Aboriginal heritage consultant on a number of occasions in the past, including at meetings with departmental officers - in some cases with the then chairperson of the ACMC - and in writing. With the consent of that consultant, the minister is happy to table relevant correspondence before the House.
(3) The clarification and further information required to enable relevant departmental officers to consider whether to proceed with preliminary registration processes related to places that fall within the Portman Ltd project area have been provided to the relevant Aboriginal heritage consultant on a number of occasions in the past, including at meetings with departmental officers - in some cases with the then chairperson of the ACMC - and in writing. With the consent of that consultant, the minister is happy to table relevant correspondence before the House.
(1) Will the minister describe where in the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 or Aboriginal Heritage Regulations 1974 it is stated that the department can legally screen the information reaching the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee, as described in (4) of the minister’s answer? (2) What qualifications are relevant departmental staff required to have to ascertain whether material should be passed to the ACMC for consideration? (3) Will the minister describe what clarification and additional information the department requires to concede that areas within Portman Ltd’s project area are sites of significance to indigenous people? Hon GRAHAM GIFFARD replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 and the Aboriginal Heritage Regulations 1974 are supported in their administration by a range of policies and procedures designed to ensure that the information contained in the Aboriginal heritage register, and other similar information, is as accurate and comprehensive as possible. As mentioned in the answer to the previous set of questions, the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which preliminary evaluative work, which includes liaison with site informants and/or relevant heritage consultants to augment or clarify available information, is carried out by relevant departmental officers to enable the ACMC to efficaciously carry out its site evaluation and assessment functions. (2) The examination and assessment work described in the answer to (1) is routinely undertaken by the department’s senior heritage officers, the heritage assessment officer and the team leader, heritage information. It is standard departmental practice that the persons occupying each of these positions hold tertiary qualifications in a relevant discipline. Currently, all such officers are trained and experienced anthropologists or archaeologists. The department has recently appointed a principal policy officer, heritage, to ensure the maintenance of departmental standards in all areas of heritage administration. (3) The clarification and further information required to enable relevant departmental officers to consider whether to proceed with preliminary registration processes related to places that fall within the Portman Ltd project area have been provided to the relevant Aboriginal heritage consultant on a number of occasions in the past, including at meetings with departmental officers - in some cases with the then chairperson of the ACMC - and in writing. With the consent of that consultant, the minister is happy to table relevant correspondence before the House.
(2) What qualifications are relevant departmental staff required to have to ascertain whether material should be passed to the ACMC for consideration? (3) Will the minister describe what clarification and additional information the department requires to concede that areas within Portman Ltd’s project area are sites of significance to indigenous people? Hon GRAHAM GIFFARD replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 and the Aboriginal Heritage Regulations 1974 are supported in their administration by a range of policies and procedures designed to ensure that the information contained in the Aboriginal heritage register, and other similar information, is as accurate and comprehensive as possible. As mentioned in the answer to the previous set of questions, the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which preliminary evaluative work, which includes liaison with site informants and/or relevant heritage consultants to augment or clarify available information, is carried out by relevant departmental officers to enable the ACMC to efficaciously carry out its site evaluation and assessment functions. (2) The examination and assessment work described in the answer to (1) is routinely undertaken by the department’s senior heritage officers, the heritage assessment officer and the team leader, heritage information. It is standard departmental practice that the persons occupying each of these positions hold tertiary qualifications in a relevant discipline. Currently, all such officers are trained and experienced anthropologists or archaeologists. The department has recently appointed a principal policy officer, heritage, to ensure the maintenance of departmental standards in all areas of heritage administration. (3) The clarification and further information required to enable relevant departmental officers to consider whether to proceed with preliminary registration processes related to places that fall within the Portman Ltd project area have been provided to the relevant Aboriginal heritage consultant on a number of occasions in the past, including at meetings with departmental officers - in some cases with the then chairperson of the ACMC - and in writing. With the consent of that consultant, the minister is happy to table relevant correspondence before the House.
(3) Will the minister describe what clarification and additional information the department requires to concede that areas within Portman Ltd’s project area are sites of significance to indigenous people? Hon GRAHAM GIFFARD replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 and the Aboriginal Heritage Regulations 1974 are supported in their administration by a range of policies and procedures designed to ensure that the information contained in the Aboriginal heritage register, and other similar information, is as accurate and comprehensive as possible. As mentioned in the answer to the previous set of questions, the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which preliminary evaluative work, which includes liaison with site informants and/or relevant heritage consultants to augment or clarify available information, is carried out by relevant departmental officers to enable the ACMC to efficaciously carry out its site evaluation and assessment functions. (2) The examination and assessment work described in the answer to (1) is routinely undertaken by the department’s senior heritage officers, the heritage assessment officer and the team leader, heritage information. It is standard departmental practice that the persons occupying each of these positions hold tertiary qualifications in a relevant discipline. Currently, all such officers are trained and experienced anthropologists or archaeologists. The department has recently appointed a principal policy officer, heritage, to ensure the maintenance of departmental standards in all areas of heritage administration. (3) The clarification and further information required to enable relevant departmental officers to consider whether to proceed with preliminary registration processes related to places that fall within the Portman Ltd project area have been provided to the relevant Aboriginal heritage consultant on a number of occasions in the past, including at meetings with departmental officers - in some cases with the then chairperson of the ACMC - and in writing. With the consent of that consultant, the minister is happy to table relevant correspondence before the House.
Hon GRAHAM GIFFARD replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 and the Aboriginal Heritage Regulations 1974 are supported in their administration by a range of policies and procedures designed to ensure that the information contained in the Aboriginal heritage register, and other similar information, is as accurate and comprehensive as possible. As mentioned in the answer to the previous set of questions, the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which preliminary evaluative work, which includes liaison with site informants and/or relevant heritage consultants to augment or clarify available information, is carried out by relevant departmental officers to enable the ACMC to efficaciously carry out its site evaluation and assessment functions. (2) The examination and assessment work described in the answer to (1) is routinely undertaken by the department’s senior heritage officers, the heritage assessment officer and the team leader, heritage information. It is standard departmental practice that the persons occupying each of these positions hold tertiary qualifications in a relevant discipline. Currently, all such officers are trained and experienced anthropologists or archaeologists. The department has recently appointed a principal policy officer, heritage, to ensure the maintenance of departmental standards in all areas of heritage administration. (3) The clarification and further information required to enable relevant departmental officers to consider whether to proceed with preliminary registration processes related to places that fall within the Portman Ltd project area have been provided to the relevant Aboriginal heritage consultant on a number of occasions in the past, including at meetings with departmental officers - in some cases with the then chairperson of the ACMC - and in writing. With the consent of that consultant, the minister is happy to table relevant correspondence before the House.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) The Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 and the Aboriginal Heritage Regulations 1974 are supported in their administration by a range of policies and procedures designed to ensure that the information contained in the Aboriginal heritage register, and other similar information, is as accurate and comprehensive as possible. As mentioned in the answer to the previous set of questions, the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which preliminary evaluative work, which includes liaison with site informants and/or relevant heritage consultants to augment or clarify available information, is carried out by relevant departmental officers to enable the ACMC to efficaciously carry out its site evaluation and assessment functions. (2) The examination and assessment work described in the answer to (1) is routinely undertaken by the department’s senior heritage officers, the heritage assessment officer and the team leader, heritage information. It is standard departmental practice that the persons occupying each of these positions hold tertiary qualifications in a relevant discipline. Currently, all such officers are trained and experienced anthropologists or archaeologists. The department has recently appointed a principal policy officer, heritage, to ensure the maintenance of departmental standards in all areas of heritage administration. (3) The clarification and further information required to enable relevant departmental officers to consider whether to proceed with preliminary registration processes related to places that fall within the Portman Ltd project area have been provided to the relevant Aboriginal heritage consultant on a number of occasions in the past, including at meetings with departmental officers - in some cases with the then chairperson of the ACMC - and in writing. With the consent of that consultant, the minister is happy to table relevant correspondence before the House.
(1) The Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 and the Aboriginal Heritage Regulations 1974 are supported in their administration by a range of policies and procedures designed to ensure that the information contained in the Aboriginal heritage register, and other similar information, is as accurate and comprehensive as possible. As mentioned in the answer to the previous set of questions, the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee has sanctioned a policy under which preliminary evaluative work, which includes liaison with site informants and/or relevant heritage consultants to augment or clarify available information, is carried out by relevant departmental officers to enable the ACMC to efficaciously carry out its site evaluation and assessment functions. (2) The examination and assessment work described in the answer to (1) is routinely undertaken by the department’s senior heritage officers, the heritage assessment officer and the team leader, heritage information. It is standard departmental practice that the persons occupying each of these positions hold tertiary qualifications in a relevant discipline. Currently, all such officers are trained and experienced anthropologists or archaeologists. The department has recently appointed a principal policy officer, heritage, to ensure the maintenance of departmental standards in all areas of heritage administration. (3) The clarification and further information required to enable relevant departmental officers to consider whether to proceed with preliminary registration processes related to places that fall within the Portman Ltd project area have been provided to the relevant Aboriginal heritage consultant on a number of occasions in the past, including at meetings with departmental officers - in some cases with the then chairperson of the ACMC - and in writing. With the consent of that consultant, the minister is happy to table relevant correspondence before the House.
(2) The examination and assessment work described in the answer to (1) is routinely undertaken by the department’s senior heritage officers, the heritage assessment officer and the team leader, heritage information. It is standard departmental practice that the persons occupying each of these positions hold tertiary qualifications in a relevant discipline. Currently, all such officers are trained and experienced anthropologists or archaeologists. The department has recently appointed a principal policy officer, heritage, to ensure the maintenance of departmental standards in all areas of heritage administration. (3) The clarification and further information required to enable relevant departmental officers to consider whether to proceed with preliminary registration processes related to places that fall within the Portman Ltd project area have been provided to the relevant Aboriginal heritage consultant on a number of occasions in the past, including at meetings with departmental officers - in some cases with the then chairperson of the ACMC - and in writing. With the consent of that consultant, the minister is happy to table relevant correspondence before the House.
(3) The clarification and further information required to enable relevant departmental officers to consider whether to proceed with preliminary registration processes related to places that fall within the Portman Ltd project area have been provided to the relevant Aboriginal heritage consultant on a number of occasions in the past, including at meetings with departmental officers - in some cases with the then chairperson of the ACMC - and in writing. With the consent of that consultant, the minister is happy to table relevant correspondence before the House.
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