Ms BADGER question to MINISTER for ABORIGINAL AFFAIRS, Mrs ARCHER.
Departmental advice about the serious risk the Peron Dunes Sand Enduro poses to threatened bird species wasn’t the only revelation uncovered by RTI. The documents show the department only retrospectively started an impact assessment of the race after we asked about it in parliament. The belated RAA process found there was an Aboriginal heritage site at the race location. That discovery led to the track for the race to be reconfigured to avoid the site. Along with the recognition of the site, the RTI shows that Aboriginal Heritage Tasmania recommended that a full heritage survey of the area be conducted to consider all further potential impacts. That recommendation was made a year ago. Minister, has an Aboriginal Heritage survey of the race area and surrounds been conducted, as per this important recommendation?
ANSWER
Honourable Speaker, I thank the member for the question. I’ll have to take that question on notice.
Ms BADGER – Can we get a response today, minister?
Mrs ARCHER – I’ll get your response as soon as I’m able to.
Answer provided later in the sitting
Mr ABETZ – In response to the question without notice from the member for Lyons, Tabatha Badger, to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, I can advise in 2025, Parks and Wildlife Service requested advice from Aboriginal Heritage Tasmania (AHT) according to the standard PWS process for assessing activities on reserved land. AHT provided advice to the Parks service confirming known Aboriginal heritage in the area and reminded PWS in the interests of the proponent of the legal obligation to avoid impacting heritage. The advice recommended a heritage assessment related to ongoing events of ancillary infrastructure upgrades to ensure these would not impact on heritage. While maintaining these activities is a matter for the Parks portfolio, the minister understands the response of the Parks and Wildlife Service has been to ensure known heritage is avoided and to consider further surveys according to any change in use or associated infrastructure upgrades.
Further, the minister for Parks has advised that during the September 2025 RAA process, Aboriginal Heritage Tasmania undertook a desktop assessment that identified a previously recorded Aboriginal cultural heritage site. That area was subsequently excluded from the licenced race area. The Parks and Wildlife Service will consider the need for a more comprehensive Aboriginal cultural heritage assessment as part of the development of any future review of the vehicle recreation area. Any further detail on the nature of the activity and the specific measures taken to ensure heritage is avoided should be directed to the minister for Parks.
