“If the Traditional Owners, the First Australians, say: ‘No, don’t destroy this particular site’, that must stand.”
— Banjima Elder, Slim Parker
The destruction by Rio Tinto of the 46,000 year old caves at Juukan Gorge confirmed what First Nations peoples have long known: our cultures and sacred sites are routinely trashed, with thousands "lawfully" destroyed under the Western Australian Aboriginal Heritage Act. The loss was not an isolated incident, rather an example of the heartbreaking consequences of a legal system stacked against the rights of Traditional Owners to speak for country.
The Aboriginal Heritage Action Alliance is a community action group, led by senior Traditional Owners with cultural authority from across Western Australia, demanding a new WA Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Bill which enshrines our right to say ‘no’ to the destruction of our sacred sites. The Bill in its current form is not acceptable and should be withdrawn.
Watch this video to learn more:
“We have a right to Indigenous culture, we have a right to protect our sacred sites, we have a right to the protection of our lands, and we have a right not to be subjected to race discrimination.”
— Noongar Human Rights Lawyer, Dr Hannah McGlade.
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Problems with the bill
The WA Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Bill 2020 will not protect our sacred sites from destruction and it hands the final say to the Minister.
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Email the Premier
Tell Premier Mark McGowan to withdraw the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Bill and work in partnership with us to develop strong, new laws.
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News Coverage
Keep up with the latest news coverage, track our media releases and read public submissions on this controversial Bill.