Two-tiered heritage protection in Australia strikes the wrong note

The Government of Western Australia has made itself look tin-eared at best and racist at worst in reportedly tabling draft legislation that would reinforce a two-tiered system of heritage protection in the state. In effect, the law - if enacted - would ensure that sites whose significance derives from their connection with Aboriginal tradition or culture are not subject to protection under the Heritage Act. Instead, the recognition and care of Aboriginal sites fall under another piece of legislation, the Aboriginal Heritage Act.

Wandjina Rock Art, The Kimberley, Western Australia

 

According to the WA Heritage Minister, the move is motivated simply by a desire to avoid unnecessary duplication of regulation. However, archaeologists and Aboriginal community leaders note that the two laws are not comparable and the protection available under the Aboriginal Heritage is considerably weaker than that which protects European sites.

Although perhaps well-intentioned, the result is a government which appears ready to perpetuate the notion that Aboriginal culture is somehow "second-class." Given the legacy of colonialism and exploitation of Aboriginal people in Australia, there must surely be a better way to cut back on red tape.

Co-management scheme at Uluru world heritage site under review

Uluru, formerly known as Ayer's Rock, is an immense monolith set in the flatlands of Central Australia. A world heritage site since 1987, Uluru is illustrative of the conflict that often arises at such locales between cultural protection on the one hand and tourism development on the other.

As the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported this week, Australia handed the site back to its traditional indigenous owners 30 years ago, and it has been co-managed with the Australian federal government ever since. The relationship between the co-managers has been marked by tensions, yet ironically it is also held up as a model for joint-management schemes elsewhere.  

In this context, Parks Australia has recently launched a review of the arrangement that will focus on such questions as how the park is managed and how park staff and traditional owners interact with each other. Let's hope that the conclusions and recommendations arising from the review are widely circulated, given that conflict between the interests of local communities and tourism authorities is a recurring problem in heritage sites the world over.