The Hodgman Liberal Government is committed to protecting Tasmania’s remarkable 40,000 years of Aboriginal heritage – that is why we are reviewing the effectiveness of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1975.
In 2017, the Government amended the Aboriginal Relics Act 1975 to address some of the most outdated and problematic parts, including removing the 1876 cut-off date for what is considered Aboriginal heritage; increased penalties for damage to Aboriginal heritage and removal of the ignorance defence; and renaming it as the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1975.
The requirement for the review of the Act was also one of the important amendments we introduced, and we are now undertaking this next important step forward.
I would encourage all Tasmanians with an interest in this matter to provide feedback on the Discussion Paper the Government is releasing today.
This is an opportunity for all Tasmanians to consider the effectiveness of the Act and to identify areas for improvement.
Submissions close on 21 September 2019 and a final report on the outcome of this review will be tabled in Parliament by February 2021.
For more information, visit: https://dpipwe.tas.gov.au/about-the-department/aboriginal-heritage-act
More Media Releases from the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs