Reshaping Queensland’s cultural heritage laws

The Department of Seniors, Disability Services and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships is managing the review process of Queensland’s Cultural Heritage Acts.

The purpose of the review is to ensure the Cultural Heritage Acts continue to protect and conserve Queensland’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural heritage, while enabling business and development activity.

The review began in 2019 and has so far involved:

• extensive engagement with Queensland’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders and other interested specialists
• review and consideration of approaches of cultural heritage protections across other Australian jurisdictions, submissions made to the Juukan Gorge Inquiry and best practice standards and obligations
• the preparation and publication of the options paper outlining proposals based on feedback received from stakeholders and priorities for improving the way we manage and protect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural heritage.

The original timeline was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the Government is now committed to finalising the review. The options paper provides for a 12-week public consultation period that will end on 31 March 2022.

The feedback received through the consultation on the options paper will be used to inform recommended changes to the Cultural Heritage Acts.

The laws protecting cultural heritage in Queensland are the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003 and the Torres Strait Islander Cultural Heritage Act 2003.

The main purpose of the Cultural Heritage Acts is to provide effective recognition, protection and conservation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural heritage.

Not necessarily. The proposals are based on key themes from the feedback received in the review so far as well as other national developments. To enable us to finalise the review, we would appreciate your submission to cover the questions included in the options paper.

Alternatively, we would appreciate your feedback by completing the online survey. Providing your feedback is important as it will enable development of cultural heritage reforms that reflect your views.