PROTECT ABORIGINAL CULTURAL HERITAGE
The 2020 destruction of 46,000-year-old rock caves in the Pilbara sent shockwaves around the world. It wasn’t the first event of this kind, and it won’t be the last: Australia’s Aboriginal cultural heritage is being harmed or destroyed every day.
WHY YOU SHOULD EMAIL THE WA PREMIER
The WA State Government has recently passed new laws that will allow the ongoing destruction of more significant Aboriginal cultural heritage sites. Hundreds of sites are at risk of harm or destruction right now. Many intersect sacred waterways, cave systems, songlines and Dreamtime locations with ...
PROTECT ABORIGINAL CULTURAL HERITAGE
The 2020 destruction of 46,000-year-old rock caves in the Pilbara sent shockwaves around the world. It wasn’t the first event of this kind, and it won’t be the last: Australia’s Aboriginal cultural heritage is being harmed or destroyed every day.
WHY YOU SHOULD EMAIL THE WA PREMIER
The WA State Government has recently passed new laws that will allow the ongoing destruction of more significant Aboriginal cultural heritage sites. Hundreds of sites are at risk of harm or destruction right now. Many intersect sacred waterways, cave systems, songlines and Dreamtime locations with irreplaceable engravings, paintings and artefacts dating back tens of thousands of years.
The McGowan Government is already on record committing to a co-design process in relation to the development of key supporting documents associated with the new laws. WA Traditional Owners want to lead this process by first establishing a co-design framework – the main purpose of which is to generate meaningful dialogues among all stakeholders, and to give the people who are most affected a primary role.
Even though WA Traditional Owners feel disrespected by the State Government, they still want to work together to develop a framework to inform both the statutory guidelines and regulations that are yet to be developed, and the mandated five-year review process that will assess the operation and effectiveness of the new laws.
HELP STOP THE DESTRUCTION
Email WA Premier Mark McGowan to ask him to honour his commitment to Traditional Owners that the regulations governing the new laws will be co-designed with those most affected by Aboriginal cultural heritage decisions.