COOK LABOR'S "BROKEN" HERITAGE SYSTEM EXPOSED
A report commissioned by the State Government has delivered a scathing assessment of Western Australia’s Aboriginal heritage and native title processes, describing a “broken system” plagued by delays, uncertainty and a “systemic imbalance” that is failing both industry and Traditional Owners.
Shadow Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Neil Thomson said the findings were a devastating indictment of the Cook Labor Government.
“This report was commissioned by the Premier himself and its findings could not be clearer – the system is broken,” Mr Thomson said.
“After the disastrous and rushed rollout of the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act in 2021, and its subsequent abandonment, followed by years of policy confusion, Labor has created a system defined by delays, bureaucracy and mistrust.
“The most extraordinary finding is that nobody is winning. Mining and exploration companies are being buried in red tape, while Traditional Owners continue to face chronic under-resourcing and financial stress.”
Mr Thomson said the Government’s response failed to match the scale of the problem.
“The Premier’s $3.2 million announcement is a drop in the ocean compared to the systemic failures identified in this report,” he said.
“Instead of fixing the problem, Labor has created a culture of risk aversion and bureaucratic paralysis where difficult decisions are avoided, costs continue to rise and everyone is pushed towards litigation.”
Mr Thomson said the report confirmed concerns repeatedly raised by industry and Traditional Owners.
“The Kelly Report describes departments operating in silos, stakeholders trapped in non-decision loops and a system that is failing to provide certainty to anyone,” he said.
“This Government has abandoned policy leadership and allowed bureaucracy to take over.”
Mr Thomson said it was only because of an Order to Produce Motion in the Legislative Council that the report had finally been released.
“The Cook Labor Government sat on this report for months. If the Premier was proud of what this report said, it would have been released in February,” he said.
The report found explorers can face compliance processes taking an average of 552 days for a single activity, while survey costs were reaching $23,000 per day.
Mr Thomson said the findings demonstrated the real-world consequences of Labor’s failure.
“These delays and costs are damaging investment, harming productivity and undermining confidence in Western Australia at a time when we should be strengthening our position as a global resources leader,” he said.
“More consultation is not the answer. Western Australia needs meaningful reform of its Aboriginal heritage and native title systems now.”
Media contact:
Graham Mason 0419 194 792
