Reforming any legislation is complex and requires a multi-staged approach. Key aims throughout the New South Wales Aboriginal cultural heritage (ACH) reforms have been to ensure that new legislation:
- respects and conserves ACH in New South Wales for current and future generations
- provides clear and consistent processes for economic and social development.
Public consultation has involved collecting information and consulting with people across New South Wales to establish what the reforms need to consider and to develop and refine new legislation.
2017–18 public consultation
From September 2017 to April 2018 the government consulted publicly on a proposed new system for managing and conserving ACH in New South Wales, supported by the Draft Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Bill 2018. The proposed new system was informed by recommendations of the Aboriginal Culture and Heritage Reform Working Party and public feedback received on the 2013 reform model.
Feedback from the public consultation showed there is much support for the reforms. However some submissions, including from Aboriginal communities, raised issues that needed further consideration. This led to additional targeted stakeholder consultations during January and February 2019 this year, and some further work to refine the proposals in the draft Bill.
Timeline
This timeline sets out the public consultation phases and other steps in the ACH reform process to date.