Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Reforms released

The reforms aim to provide a more consistent and transparent system for assessing and protecting Aboriginal cultural heritage.

While the proposed legal framework has been released today, the draft legislation will be released for consultation in October with further draft regulations to enact the legislation released next year.

The proposed legal framework outlines the formation of a state wide statutory body, the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Authority, that will oversee the administration and implementation of the reforms.

Local consultation panels will report to the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Authority and will provide a singular point of contact for development proponents seeking guidance on developing land where Aboriginal heritage may need to be considered.

The Office of Environment and Heritage will be running information sessions throughout NSW in September and October with a second round of information sessions taking place following the release of the draft legislation. Further information on these sessions can be found here at http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/aboriginal-cultural-heritage-consultation.

The Property Council will also be seeking input from members on the reforms to inform a submission. If you would like to contribute to this process, please contact William Power at [email protected] or 04 29 210 982.