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Question and Answer Tracking Details

9670 - Environment and Heritage - ABORIGINAL PLACEMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN

Latham, Mark to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Regional Youth, and Minister for Tourism representing the Minister for Environment and Heritage

(1) Will the Aboriginal Place Management Plan (APMP) for Mount Warning effectively prevent the public from accessing that region?

(a) If not, can the Minister please provide the details of the APMP, specifically those details that impact on the public’s rights to enter the subject area?

(2) Which Aboriginal group will be the manager of this APMP?

(a) How was this group identified as the most appropriate to be involved in the APMP?

(b) Was this contested by any other Aboriginal groups?

(i) If so, which Aboriginal groups contested it?

(ii) What were the grounds of the contestation?

(iii) How was the contestation dealt with?

(c) How was the Aboriginal group assessed on its ability to manage the APMP?

(i) Did the Aboriginal group or any of its members demonstrate specific management skills suitable for administering the APMP?

(ii) How were those management and administration skills demonstrated and tested?

(iii) Were any educational or training programmes offered to the Aboriginal group or its members with respect to their future management and administration of the APMP?

(iv) Who delivered this educational or training service?

(v) How much did the educational or training service cost the taxpayer?

(3) Can the Minister provide details of any public consultations or liaison that occurred before the decision was made with respect to the APMP over Mount Warning, specifically:

(a) How was it advertised to the community?

(b) When did it take place?

(c) What form did it take?

(d) Who participated in it?

(e) What public concerns were put on the record?

(f) How were these concerns addressed?

(4) Were any submissions, objections or other concerns received from community groups or individuals with respect to the APMP over Mount Warning before the decision was made with respect to the APMP?

(a) If so, who raised these submissions, objections or other concerns?

(i) When were these received?

(ii) How were they dealt with?

(5) Can the Minister confirm that the image of Mount Waring will be copyrighted as a result of the APMP decision, or allow the image to be copyrighted in the future as a result of the decision?

(a) If so, who will be the holder of the copyright?

(b) If so, how is this justified considering the image is a commonly used identifier for the region by generations of its residents?

(6) In relation to any public infrastructure currently existing on the subject land:

(a) What infrastructure may be subject to removal under the APMP?

(b) What cost will be associated with the removal of this infrastructure?

(c) Who will bear the cost of the removal?

(7) What other regions in New South Wales may be subject to similar APMPs?
Answer -

(1) Wollumbin was declared an Aboriginal Place above 600 metres to the summit by the Government in 2014 to protect its cultural values and formally recognise it as a place of special significance to Aboriginal people.

The Wollumbin Aboriginal Place Management Plan (APMP) formally sets out the Aboriginal community's advice on access to the summit and documents Wollumbin's significant Aboriginal cultural heritage values.

The future of Wollumbin National Park will be guided by Aboriginal custodians after the development of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Wollumbin Consultative Group (WCG), which represents a range of Aboriginal groups and families with a connection to the site.

(2) NPWS will manage Wollumbin National Park consistent with relevant legislative requirements, and guided by the APMP, in consultation with the WCG through the MOU.

(a) Wollumbin is a place of highest significance to the Bundjalung people. The WCG has representatives from the Bundjalung and adjoining Aboriginal nations community members, Elders, Native Title claimants and corporations, the Local Aboriginal Land Council, ancestral families and knowledge holders.

(b) No.

(i-iii) Not applicable.

(c) Refer to the answer at (2).

(i-v) Not applicable.

(3) Access to the summit has been closed since March 2020 due to COVID-19, safety risks, and further consultation with the Aboriginal community.

The WCG developed the APMP to detail the Aboriginal cultural heritage values of Wollumbin summit for the Aboriginal community. The WCG includes Aboriginal representatives as detailed in the answer to (2)(a).

On 20 October 2022, the Government announced that the future of Wollumbin National Park will be guided by Aboriginal custodians after an MOU is developed with the WCG.

The MOU will be a first step to joint management with Aboriginal custodians, and will provide a framework for Aboriginal decision-making about the national park, including decisions regarding access to the summit track and new visitor infrastructure. This announcement followed a long process of engagement and consultation by NPWS, involving a range of stakeholders, including Tweed Shire Council, Destination North Coast and Tweed Tourism Company. Consultation and engagement with all stakeholders will continue and will be ongoing.

(a-f) Not applicable.

(4) 

(a)

(i-ii) Refer to the answer at (3).

(5) The Government has not restricted the use of images of Wollumbin mountain. The APMP includes a request by the Aboriginal community that images taken within the Wollumbin Aboriginal Place are not used for tourism or advertising purposes.

(a-b) Not applicable.

(6)

(a) The development of an MOU with the WCG will provide a framework for Aboriginal decision-making about management of the national park, including the future of the summit track and installation or removal of visitor infrastructure.

(b-c) Not applicable.

(7) There are 51 Aboriginal Places on the NPWS estate. Nine of these Aboriginal Places currently have APMPs.

Question asked on 25 October 2022 (session 57-1) and published in Questions & Answers Paper No. 854
Answer received on 15 November 2022 and published in Questions & Answers Paper No. 869

The Parliament of New South Wales acknowledges and respects the traditional lands of all Aboriginal people, and pays respects to all Elders past and present. We acknowledge the Gadigal people as the traditional custodians of the land on which the Parliament of New South Wales stands.