Aboriginal Heritage Act

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS (15:07): My question is to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation. When will the government bring into operation the provisions of the Aboriginal Heritage Act, which look like they have still not commenced following their passage through parliament in 2016? Examples are: composition of Aboriginal Heritage Committee; provisions relating to ministerial directions; provisions regarding sacred site access; and clauses protecting traditions.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Employment, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation, Minister for Automotive Transformation, Minister for Science and Information Economy) (15:08): I thank the honourable member for his questions. I assume he is referring to the changes that went through about a year ago to the Aboriginal Heritage Act that set up RAHBs (registered Aboriginal heritage bodies is what the act contemplated) to allow Aboriginal people and their groups to be involved at the start of the Aboriginal heritage process rather than at the end in terms of directly negotiating with land use proponents.

I will double-check for the honourable member but I am pretty sure that the regulations that will go around the changes to the act are now with the South Australian Aboriginal Heritage Committee to look at the regulations before they are put into parliament, but I am happy to go and check to confirm that that is where the regulations that are needed for that are up to, and, if it is any different, bring back a further and better answer for the honourable member.