Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-10-18 Daily Xml

Contents

Adnyamathanha Heritage Site

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (14:59): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before directing a question to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs on the subject of damage to Adnyamathanha heritage.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: In late August, as honourable members would be aware, the traditional heritage on the lands of the Adnyamathanha people were destroyed by earthworks commissioned through the Department for Environment and Water. According to some information in the public domain, traditional owner Regina McKenzie wants a comprehensive survey done of these areas. My question to the minister is: will the government be listening to the traditional owners and working with them to provide the review of how their sacred lands were damaged through this government process?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (15:00): I thank the honourable member for her question. I have outlined in this chamber before, and I won't outline the nature and who the discussions were with, and I have had discussions with traditional owners, including Kuyani traditional owners, about this particular incident and the effect it has had on them.

I know that the Minister for Environment, the Hon. Susan Close, member for Port Adelaide and Deputy Premier, has talked about a review that is currently underway in the environment department about how the events that played out came to be. I look forward to that review, and I certainly look forward to continuing my discussions with the traditional owners about how to best protect their heritage.