1. Hello
Just a short letter to inform you of the great work happening regarding the protection of WA
Aboriginal Heritage in the face of the WA government (Department of Aboriginal Affairs) plans to
change and make amendments to the 1972 Aboriginal Heritage Act.
I met yesterday with the Greens Robin Chapple MLC, Member for the Mining and Pastoral Region and
we talked about his work and he stressed he can only ask questions in government, and it’s up to
Aboriginal people to strongly voice our opposition and take the lead here.
It’s our country and culture and we need to stand-up. This business needs to be in the public arena
and the consequences understood by all…the WA government are systematically destroying our
culture and subsequently our livelihoods. We need to all unite on this business and take a stance.
We have allies in the non-Indigenous community and another person I’ve been in discussion with is
Stephen Bennetts who wrote a recent article in Crikey magazine highlighting Aboriginal people's
opposition to the AHA Amendments. See the article at:
http://blogs.crikey.com.au/northern/2014/09/30/speaking-with-one-voice-was-changes-to-aboriginal-
heritage-law-rejected-at-bush-meetings/
The Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation are involved and a delegation of WA Traditional Owners
recently visited the WA Parliament. There has also been a court case recently against the WA
government – ‘Definition of sacred site challenged in Aboriginal heritage test case’.
Marapikurrinya brother and sister Kerry and Diana Robinson are challenging the validity of the
committee's finding and want the decision quashed. In court recently lawyer Greg McIntyre, who
represented Eddie Mabo in the historic 1992 native title case, said whether or not the area had been
used for religious purposes was irrelevant. See the website below for more information:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-27/supreme-court-test-case-challenges-wa-govt-definition-of-
sacred/5923598
Cheers