Ms O’CONNOR question to MINISTER for PARKS, Mr DUIGAN
Minister, I am a bit baffled by your apparent lack of knowledge on whether or not there is an Aboriginal Heritage Desktop Review and/or an Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Assessment Report. There is an explicit condition of the Halls Island lease, which you have just renewed, that states that the operator has made all necessary referrals, for example, to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC), that is the environment department, and provided all plans, assessment reports, and other requested materials by the deadline, which was 31 March, last Monday.
Can you confirm that there is a compliant Aboriginal heritage assessment report ‑ and when I say compliant, I mean you consulted with the Tasmanian Aboriginal community ‑ that has gone through the Reserve Activity Assessment process, through your agency, to the Commonwealth environment department?
Mr DUIGAN – I will seek some advice, Mr President.
Ms O’Connor – There are Palawa people who will be very interested in this answer.
ANSWER
I understand that the proponent continues to engage with DCCEEW and has provided additional information to the department recently; late February 2025. Again, this is a matter for the Australian Government to progress. Those Aboriginal heritage submissions would be part of EPBC.
Ms O’Connor – You are confirming the document?
Mr DUIGAN – As stated, any queries in relation to the EPBC, a referral process, or its progress, should be made directly to the relevant federal minister or DCCEEW. It is my understanding ‑
Ms O’Connor – It is in the lease you signed.
Mr DUIGAN ‑ that this referral, as part of an Australian Government managed process, is being put through multiple rounds of public consultation ‑
Ms O’Connor – Irrelevant.
Mr DUIGAN – Well, you are talking about the stakeholders ‑ including direct engagement with stakeholders and any concerns regarding the consultation process ‑
Ms O’Connor – Aboriginal people?
Mr DUIGAN ‑ including engagement with stakeholders should be ‑
Ms O’Connor – Which stakeholders?
Mr DUIGAN ‑ queried directly with DCCEEW who are managing the process. The proponent will go to DCCEEW. He will seek his assessment there, he will then get a DA, and then he will come back for an ‑
Ms O’Connor – You have signed a lease and extended a lease and given them everything. You know nothing about it.
