Article by Caitlyn Rintoul courtesy of the West Australian.
The State Government was on Sunday scrambling to launch an eleventh-hour “education campaign” over the controversial Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act as more industries warn the legislation is “unworkable”.
Emergency Services minister Stephen Dawson was forced to defend the Act on Sunday, where he maintained an “extensive” radio and newspaper campaign would help clear up confusion.
Much of the campaign, however, will not be aired until after the planned implementation of the laws on July 1.
“This campaign will help educate the community. People should not be afraid of this legislation,” Mr Dawson said.
But among the scores of groups voicing their fears about the Act is the peak body representing WA prospectors.
The Amalgamated Prospectors and Leaseholders Association said the regulations could have a “catastrophic effect” on the industry and the $354 million that the sector contributes to regional communities annually.
In the association’s submission during consultation, the group expressed concerns for its 2085 members.
“This will have significant detrimental flow-on effects. The processes . . . will severely impact prospectors, sending some completely out of business.
“APLA does not support the unworkable process . . . due to the catastrophic effect it will have on prospecting.”
The association’s concerns are among scores of submissions to the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage. The 90 submissions, all of which demand more transparency and further clarification, come from a range of concerned bodies, including government departments, local government, ASX-listed companies and small business.
The heritage laws have created a headache for new WA Premier Roger Cook, pictured, who has faced a gruelling fortnight in the State’s top job as criticism of the Act and its guidelines continue to pour in from Opposition, industry and Aboriginal groups.
Senator Dean Smith, who was a key member of the Federal inquiry into Rio Tinto’s destruction of Juukan Gorge, this weekend joined the pile on, accusing the State of “overreaching into people’s backyards”.
And WA Liberal leader Libby Mettam wasn’t prepared to ease up on Mr Cook, slamming the Government’s PR campaign as “too little, too late”.
“A communications campaign at the eleventh hour goes well short of addressing the myriad of concerns,” she said.
“Premier Cook is illustrating he is clearly not listening to the people of Western Australia, who are urging this Government to put a pause on these regulations.”
Ms Mettam also slammed the timing of the release of the consultation, which were uploaded on the department’s website on Friday — a day after State Parliament retired for its winter break.
The guidelines were originally published last week but quickly removed after “issues” raised by “industry”, according to Aboriginal Affairs Minister Tony Buti.