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ARTICLE · 16 NOVEMBER 2020

Modernising WA approach to Aboriginal cultural heritage

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This draft Bill proposes a new regime with a more modern approach to the protection of Aboriginal cultural heritage.

AustraliaGovernment, Public Sector
Rachael King
Rachael King
Melissa Settineri
Melissa Settineri
Dom Romeo
Dom Romeo
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On 2 September 2020, the Western Australian Government released a consultation draft of the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Bill (Bill). The Bill will repeal the existing Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 (WA) (AHA), and replace it with a new regime embodying a more modern approach to the protection of Aboriginal cultural heritage.  

This legislative reform is widely agreed as being long overdue however, arguably, there are few areas of law and public policy that are more challenging to achieve broad consensus in than protecting Aboriginal cultural heritage in a resource development state like Western Australia.1

The Bill was open for public consultation for a period of five weeks from 2 September 2020.

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