The legislation has been under review since early 2018. Wyatt said it will be introduced into parliament after the state election in March, but he will not be there to see it. The Yamatji man is retiring from politics at the age of 46 to spend more time with his family. There is broad support for reforming the laws in WA, but Guardian Australia understands a change of government could prompt a further round of consultation.
Legal experts say it is not necessary to wait until the law is repealed to better protect Aboriginal heritage. Currently, the minister is required to consider whether an application to destroy or impact upon Aboriginal heritage is in the community interest. A “well-intentioned minister” might take to include the free prior and informed consent of Indigenous people, says Greg McIntyre SC, a lawyer who has specialised in Indigenous heritage cases in WA.
In the media
Australia makes top 10 for real estate investment
Australia just became one of the top ten countries to buy real estate with inbound investments to increase sharply in 2021 (04 November 2020). More.
Office outlook optimistic for 2021
There is likely to be “no major demise” to the global office sector, despite remote working arrangements, with higher rental incentives expected in CBD offices, according to a global survey by Savills Investment Management (04 December 2020). More.
Australian commercial property firms see environmental management as increasingly important to their business
Many companies that work in commercial real estate are lagging behind other industries in terms of good environmental management, but there is an increasing number that are catching up fast, a new international report has found (03 December 2020). More.
Inexcusable : A federal inquiry has slammed Rio Tinto s destruction of the Juukan caves – and found the blame goes all the way to the top Jack Derwin Rio Tinto has been completely battered by a federal inquiry into its destruction of the Juukan Gorge Caves. (Aaron Bunch, Getty Images)
Rio Tinto has been blasted by a federal inquiry for its inexcusable destruction of the Juukan Gorge Caves. Rio knew the value of what they were destroying but blew it up anyway, it concluded in its interim report, recommending a moratorium of future approvals for Rio where it cannot prove it has the consent of traditional owners.