AHA reform must remain a high priority for State and Federal governments
The West Australian Election is an opportunity to keep the reform process firmly in the spotlight. Establishing a new Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act for Western Australia and amending the existing Mining Act (1978) are critical to achieving the wide-ranging reform needed to improve the laws and procedures surrounding the preservation and recognition of Aboriginal cultural heritage.
YMAC has been advocating for several years for legislative reform and will continue to keep the pressure on Government.
As part of its opening statement to the Juukan Gorge Inquiry, YMAC tabled a Roadmap to Reform that addresses the current power imbalance and inequity in agreement making and heritage protection for Traditional Owners.
Regardless of the outcome of WA’s Election, YMAC will continue to keep the pressure on
Government to:
WA’s Election is an opportunity for your voice to be heard
The proposed new legislation represents a once-in-a generation opportunity to make sure Aboriginal cultural heritage gets the recognition it deserves, and to find the right balance between heritage protection and economic outcomes for all parties.
WA’s Election is an opportunity for your voice to be heard by casting your vote in support of the policies that best support the cultural protections reform process.
YMAC will continue to hold each party to account after the Election
While it’s important to be informed when you cast your vote, it’s what happens after the election that really matters.
Regardless of outcome, YMAC will continue to hold each party to account to ensure that the many issues raised in response to the draft bill are addressed, and the revisions to the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Bill 2020 (WA) better reflect community expectations. This includes ensuring Traditional Owners have adequate time and the best opportunity to have their say, and removing the opportunity for short-circuiting the process when it suits miners or Government, so that cultural heritage is not lost now or in the future.
Stay informed about who is best set up to protect your heritage
Stay informed about where the major parties stand on cultural protections and AHA reform and who is best set up to protect your heritage: