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Parliamentary Questions


Question On Notice No. 836 asked in the Legislative Council on 13 March 2018 by Hon Robin Chapple

Question Directed to the: Minister for Environment representing the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs
Parliament: 40 Session: 1


Question

(1) Does the heritage operations wing of the Department of Planning Lands and Heritage (DPLH) have any plans for a project where they will audit the spatial data/relative locations of all Aboriginal places currently on the Register of Places and Objects?
(2) If no to (1), why not?
(3) If yes to (1), please outline timeframes for starting and completing?
(4) What are DPLH’s plans for engaging with the professional heritage community, including the Australian Association of Consulting Archaeologists Inc (AACAI), the peak body of consulting archaeologists and Aboriginal organisations?
(5) Would the Aboriginal Cultural Materials Committee (ACMC) be open to more engagement with the professional heritage community (through AACAI), or engagement to include annual meetings with AACAI/rep body committees or directors, and/or an advisory or consultative body with representation from experts in heritage and Aboriginal people?
(6) If no to (5), why not?
(7) If yes to (5), how will the DPLH action this?
(8) Given the Minister and/or Department have had difficulty in filling the position for an anthropologist or archaeologist on the ACMC, what steps will now be taken to ensure this position is filled?
(9) Will the ACMC consider offering more transparency to proponents, Native Title groups and the heritage community on their decision-making?
(10) If no to (9), why not?
(11) Will members of the ACMC be receiving higher remuneration for their time in the future?
(12) If no to (11), why not?
(13) What are the ACMC strategies for addressing the backlog of unregistered, lodged sites and how well are the strategies working?
(14) Given representation from Traditional Owner groups is limited by the small size of the ACMC, could the ACMC be assisted by the creation of special advisory panels for each region?
(15) If no to (14), why not?

Answered on 10 April 2018

(1) No

(2) The spatial boundaries are based on information provided to the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage (DPLH) by people who record and lodge heritage information submission forms. The boundaries are reviewed as part of DPLH’s site assessment process.

(3) Not applicable

(4) DPLH has met with the Australian Association of Consulting Archaeologists Inc and agreed to meet quarterly.

(5)-(7) This is a matter for the Aboriginal Cultural Materials Committee (ACMC) Chair and members.

(8) DPLH has called for nominations for the vacant position, and I anticipate receiving advice on the outcome of this process in the near future.

(9) The introduction of the procedural fairness process in 2015 significantly improved ACMC and departmental transparency and decision making, with full disclosure of site analysis and recommendations to stakeholders. DPLH will continue to work with the ACMC to further improve its processes.

(10) Not applicable

(11)-(12) Sitting fees and allowances are determined by the Public Sector Commission.

(13) There are no timelines for assessing lodged Aboriginal heritage places.

(14)-(15) It is a matter for the ACMC to determine whether additional advice over and above that provided in field reports prepared by heritage professionals or by the professional officers of DPLH is needed to fulfil the ACMC’s advisory function.