24 October, 2022
24 October 2022
NSWALC is urging other LALCs and supporters to get behind the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage (ACH) march set down for next month.
The march will be held at Parliament House on 8 November 2022, to coincide with the handing down of the report by an Upper House Inquiry into the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage (Culture is Identity) Bill 2022. The march has been organised by Metropolitan and Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Councils.
NSWALC is supporting the Land Rights Network to mobilise for the march as part of its wider efforts to achieve better ACH protections in NSW.
The Aboriginal Cultural Heritage (Culture is Identity) Bill 2022 (the Bill) is a meaningful starting point to reform Aboriginal culture and heritage protection for future generations of Australians.
Every day culture and heritage is being destroyed. Successive governments have promised to address the need to protect Aboriginal cultural heritage, but have not installed the protections needed.
NSWALC reiterates that any new laws must be aligned with key principles outlined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and must:
- Strengthen self-determination and empower Aboriginal people;
- Be led by Aboriginal people;
- Inclusive and respectful of cultural and native title rights;
- Build on existing structures of land rights and native title;
- Independent of government;
- Improve ACH protection, promotion & repair, including rights to say no (free, prior, informed consent) including approaches to protection, regulation, intangible ACH, knowledge, languages, cultural access & use, repatriation, water, cultural practices;
- Have no detrimental impacts to land rights, native title or ACH.
March details
Meeting place: 10 am at the north end of Hyde Park.
March: Start at 10.30am and proceed to NSW Parliament House.
For up-to-date details on the march, see Facebook Event: Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Protection march