There’s confusion tonight over proposed changes to the Northern Territory’s Sacred Sites Act, in an amendment expected to be made public at the end of this week. While the government says it will modernise a bill unchanged since the 80s, others are calling for more consultation before any sudden shake-up.
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00:00In the second week of sittings, a last minute addition to the agenda from a government urgently
00:08cutting red tape.
00:09There's been a lot of discussion in regards to the Sacred Sites Act more recently and
00:14I will be seeking to introduce amendments to that Act.
00:17Among the amendments, the ability to transfer permission to do works near sacred sites from
00:22one property owner to another.
00:24So that someone can sell their property and ensure that the next person taking it on knows
00:29that they have that ARPA certificate.
00:31Changes too to the consequences for breaching the Act.
00:34So that in minor, in very minor cases, someone can be issued with a fine and if Indigenous
00:40custodians want to see that project continued, it can happen in a timely manner.
00:46It follows sentiments expressed at the Territory's biggest cattle industry event on Friday.
00:51If I get labelled as a racist for saying that the legislative framework we have to protect
00:55sacred sites in the Territory is a complete and utter joke, then so be it.
00:59Echoes too from a more distant past.
01:02The government, resurrecting an external review of the Act commissioned the last time the
01:07CLP were in power.
01:08We've had this review sitting there for eight years.
01:112016 this review came about and no minister, no minister has had the guts to pick it up
01:17and to ensure that the recommendations are actually implemented.
01:20But despite claims from the minister, he's consulted with the relevant bodies.
01:24The swift move hasn't been welcomed by the Central Land Council Chair Warren Williams.
01:29He gave us less information than what he gave to the media this morning.
01:35Sacred site is ours actually and it's not gone to the government.
01:40More detail is expected to be revealed when the bill is tabled in Parliament this week.