Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Roger Jaensch, today released the exposure draft of the Aboriginal Lands Amendment Bill 2023, following extensive public consultation.
Connection to country, and the responsibility to care for it, is central to Aboriginal culture and identity, which is why the Rockliff Liberal Government has prioritised introducing this legislation to improve the way land is returned to the Tasmanian Aboriginal people.
“The Rockliff Liberal Government is committed to returning more land to Tasmanian Aboriginal people. The Review into the model for returning the land highlighted that the current process does not work for all Tasmanian Aboriginal people," Minister Jaensch said.
"Some feel excluded from the process of electing the body that is meant to hold the title for Aboriginal land on behalf of all Aboriginal people. Others report having been excluded from Aboriginal land itself, which is why amendments to the Act are needed.
“Whilst the existing Act provides a power for the Minister to declare parcels of Crown Land to be Aboriginal Land, it provides no guidance or mechanism by which such parcels are to be identified, assessed, consulted and presented to Parliament for approval.”
The amendments will deliver:
The Department of Premier and Cabinet will contact all Aboriginal and relevant non-Aboriginal stakeholders to invite their participation in the consultation process to discuss the proposed amendments.
"Feedback from this consultation process will inform the final version of the Bill that will be introduced into Parliament,” Minister Jaensch said.
“I urge stakeholders to contribute to the consultation which will run for six weeks, with final submissions due on Tuesday, 19 September, 2023.
Further information about this phase of the consultation is available at: https://www.aboriginalheritage.tas.gov.au/legislation/aboriginal-legislative-reform/aboriginal-lands-act
More Media Releases from Roger Jaensch
More Media Releases from the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs