The new Aboriginal heritage protection bill proposed by the WA Government, in part as a response to the destruction of 46,000-year-old heritage at Juukan Gorge in the Pilbara, is criticised by Indigenous leaders for weak penalties and still allowing ministerial permission to destroy heritage.
will not prevent similar incidents happening in the future, West Australian Indigenous leaders have said.The WA Government has released its draft Aboriginal Heritage Protection Bill, which it says empowers Aboriginal people
The draft bill also proposed the removal of the Section 18 process that led to Rio Tinto being granted permission to blast at Juukan Gorge. "The role of the Minister is limited to circumstances where agreements cannot be reached or mediated." CEO of Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation, Peter Jeffries, has been working to have ancient petroglyphs on the Burrup Peninsula World Heritage listed.
"The WA resources sector has engaged extensively and constructively in the reform process to modernise state-based Aboriginal heritage legislation and deliver improved outcomes for all key stakeholders," the statement read in part. "There are provisions in this bill that allow the Minister to make stop activity orders, and there are provisions that allow the cultural heritage council to take into account changes in circumstances.Greg McIntyre SC says an independent arbiter, not the state, should rule over Indigenous heritage protection disputes.
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