Colin Boyce (Flynn, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for the Environment and Water. So far, the minister has failed to rule out requiring farmers and landholders to undertake cultural surveys for agricultural practices on their private property, as part of federal cultural heritage reforms. Why won't the minister rule it out?

Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am so delighted to get this question! In fact, I was getting a little bit worried that we weren't going to go back here today, so thank you! I have made it superclear each day I've been asked this. We are not about to adopt WA laws or the laws of any state or territory. We are about reforming our cultural heritage laws as a Commonwealth government, in the same way that those opposite were previously in favour of doing this important work. I have to say: credit where credit is due. The former minister for the environment began this work.

A government member: Yes, she did. Well done!

She did begin this work, and she made some very important statements about this. She said in 2021, more than two years ago:

In the wake of the destruction of Indigenous sites at Juukan, we have commenced work with state governments and territories, and Traditional Owners to highlight the need for the modernisation of Indigenous heritage protection laws.

Opposition me mbers interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Groom will leave the chamber under 94(a).

The member for Groom then left the chamber .

Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

She also said:

I am working with the First Nations Heritage Protection Alliance to discuss a pathway forward to better protect our Indigenous cultural heritage …

She also said in a media release that Juukan Gorge 'highlighted a wider need for the modernisation of Indigenous heritage protection laws in Australia'. She said:

This year's Budget included funding for an engagement process that will work closely with Traditional Owners—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister will pause for a moment.

Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Oh my goodness! I could not be more relevant!

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'll hear from the Leader of the Nationals on a point of order.

David Littleproud (Maranoa, National Party, Shadow Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On relevance, Mr Speaker, and to help the minister: this is about farmers, not miners.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister is being relevant. The question was about cultural surveys. The minister has the call.

Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The former minister also said that those heritage protection processes are not owned by the Commonwealth; they're owned by state governments. Again, we agree. So, what we have to do now, and what I've already started doing—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Nationals is warned.

Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

is working out how the states and the Commonwealth can come together so we don't have gaps in cultural heritage protection. There are so many great quotes from the former minister, but I want to share this around a bit, because the member for Leichhardt has done excellent work, with Senator Dodson, on leading those two Juukan Gorge inquiries. The member for Leichhardt has talked about the serious deficiencies in the laws. He said: 'The legislative frameworks in all Australian jurisdictions need to be modernised. Action must be a national priority.'

The shadow environment minister more recently told the other place, just last year, that those events at Juukan Gorge 'were so disastrous that they made it very clear that comprehensive work needed to begin, as a matter of urgency, on modernising Indigenous heritage protection laws'. And I thank the member for Cowper for his bipartisan support for this work: 'We are very pleased that the minister has now made clear that she'—that's me—'will be continuing the work that has already begun.' He talks about 'this vital process'— (Time expired)