The following statement can be attributed to CME CEO Rebecca Tomkinson:
“The WA resources sector has a deep respect for Indigenous peoples and country and we are committed to continuing to build strong relationships, partnering and providing opportunities for Indigenous businesses and groups and working directly with Indigenous Australians on our sites throughout the regions where we operate.
CME and its member companies will review the response from the Commonwealth Government, alongside our ongoing review and response to the recommendations delivered in the two Inquiry reports. CME and the WA mining and resources sector continue to support the review of relevant Commonwealth legislation to ensure modernisation and alignment of Aboriginal cultural heritage protections, where required, at both a State and Federal level.
The WA resources sector also continues to engage in the final stages of the implementation process for new WA Aboriginal cultural heritage legislation, expected to be fully operational in July 2023. This repeal and replace of 1972 legislation has been underway for more than four years. This legislation reflects the evolution in the way the resources sector approaches cultural heritage management and protection through agreement making with Traditional Owners and Custodians.
Having been developed so recently, the new WA Act reflects many of the recommendations made in the Inquiry reports and CME will continue to engage with the process underway at a Federal level to ensure reforms prioritise alignment and do not introduce unnecessary duplication.”
