Western Australia to scrap new law protecting Aboriginal heritage sites

The Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act came into force on July 1 and is now being dropped after protests by landowners.

Western Australia to scrap new law protecting Aboriginal heritage sites -0
The Djadjiling rock shelter at a Pilbara mine site in Western Australia, where a large cache of Aboriginal stone tools estimated to be up to 35,000 years old was discovered in 2008 [File: Australian Cultural Heritage Management handout via Reuters]

Western Australia will overturn recently enforced laws aimed at protecting Aboriginal cultural heritage sites following widespread opposition by farmers and small landowners, the state’s premier said.

The Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act came into force on July 1 and was designed to prevent a repeat of the destruction witnessed at the 46-000-year-old Juukan Gorge rock shelter, which was demolished by the Anglo-Australian mining firm Rio Tinto during the expansion of an iron ore mine.

The ancient rock shelter was one of the earliest known locations inhabited by Australia’s Indigenous people and contained some of the oldest artefacts.

Western Australia’s Premier Roger Cook said on Tuesday that the five-week-old law had proven to be too complex and divisive since coming into force, and the state government would scrap it and restore and amend a 1972 law to ensure the protection of important sites.

“The Juukan Gorge tragedy in the Pilbara in early 2020 was a global embarrassment – and it was clear that we needed to prevent something similar ever happening again,” Cook wrote on the micro-blogging site previously known as Twitter.

The Act that came into force last month was “intended to prevent destruction of significant Aboriginal cultural heritage” in Western Australia, but the legislation had gone too far, Cook said.

“It has become clear that the Act went too far – introducing complicated regulations and ultimately placing the burden on everyday property owners,” he said.

“Simple and effective” amendments to the older, Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, would be adequate to prevent another Juukan Gorge incident, Cook continued, adding that the amended old law would allow property owners to continue to operate their properties “just as they have for the past 50 years”.

Destruction of the Juukan Gorge rock shelters caused deep distress to Indigenous groups in Australia and led to a global outcry that eventually cost Rio’s chief executive, chair and senior executives their jobs. The incident also sparked a national inquiry.

The CEO of the Western Australian Farmers Federation Trevor Whittington told the Reuters news agency that the ill-fated Aboriginal heritage protection legislation was not fit for purpose and his group was waiting to see what the amendments to the 1972 law entailed.

“Every new farming activity that we undertook would require a new heritage survey,” he said of the scrapped legislation.

“It was unworkable.”

The Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura (PKKP) Aboriginal Corporation, whose rock shelters were destroyed in 2020, said over the weekend they were devastated by reports of the state government’s impending decision to drop the new law.

“The previous heritage act … permitted the wanton destruction of Juukan Gorge. While the new act is not perfect, it is better than what it replaced,” PKKP Chairman Terry Drage said in a statement.

“If the state government had listened to community feedback during the consultation phase, we would not be in this mess. Fix the guidelines, which are the biggest problem, not scrap the Act,” he said.

Parliaments

UK introduces new law to protect seafarer employment rights
Parliaments

UK introduces new law to protect seafarer employment rights

According to Nautilus International, the Employment Rights Bill is expected to introduce new protections specifically devised for seafarers, toughening the laws around collective dismissal, and cementing seafarer wage protections in UK law. The Bill, being introduced to Parliament this week, will seek to outlaw fire and rehire by requiring employers to prove there is no reasonable financial alternative to letting staff go.

Canada approves new law to develop offshore wind on its Atlantic coast
Parliaments

Canada approves new law to develop offshore wind on its Atlantic coast

Canada’s Senate has approved a new law, named bill C-49, which is set to unlock the country’s offshore renewable energy potential in the provinces of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador, on Canada’s Atlantic coast. The bill, which includes the production of wind power as well as hydrogen, now awaits royal ascent.

California nurses applaud new law that provides transparency, improves equity in nursing education
Parliaments

California nurses applaud new law that provides transparency, improves equity in nursing education

California Nurses Association, the largest union of registered nurses in the state, applauds the signing of Senate Bill 1015 by Governor Gavin Newsom. Nurses say the new law, which was authored by Senator Dave Cortese and sponsored by CNA, is an essential step towards ensuring clinical placement opportunities for California’s future nurses, particularly for students attending public institutions like community colleges and state universities.

Seychelles' parliament adopts motion to make sign language official language
Parliaments

Seychelles' parliament adopts motion to make sign language official language

The National Assembly unanimously adopted a motion to designate Seychelles Deaf Language as an official national language, marking a significant milestone for the islands' hearing-impaired populationin. The motion was brought forward by Regina Esparon, the Linyon Demokratik Seselwa (LDS) elected member for Glacis, on behalf of the Women's Parliamentary Caucus, coinciding with the Deaf Week 2024.

Ireland: New law to ban disposable vapes and restrict flavours
Parliaments

Ireland: New law to ban disposable vapes and restrict flavours

Disposable vapes will be banned and vape flavours and colours restricted under new legislation proposed by the government. The Department of Health yesterday published the general scheme of the proposed Nicotine Inhaling Products Bill, which will introduce further restrictions on nicotine inhaling products or vapes.

Brazil calls EU to suspend anti-deforestation law
Parliaments

Brazil calls EU to suspend anti-deforestation law

Brasília urges the European Commission to reconsider its anti-deforestation rules, which could potentially impact Brazil’s exports by almost US$15 billion. The European legislation passed in 2022 includes a ban on the import of products from areas deforested from 2022 onwards, even if deforestation is legal in those areas. 

UK parliament recognizes Bitcoin and digital assets as personal property
Parliaments

UK parliament recognizes Bitcoin and digital assets as personal property

The UK Parliament has introduced the Property (Digital Assets etc.) Bill today to officially and legally recognize Bitcoin $57,732.86, cryptocurrencies, and other digital assets as personal property. This new law will, for the first time, formally protect digital assets such as Bitcoin, cryptocurrency, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and carbon credits under English law, News.Az reports citing Cointurk news.