F. Timeline of cultural heritage laws

Cultural heritage laws and international conventions
Year
Jurisdiction
Legislation/Convention
1955-1966
NT
Native and Historical Objects and Areas Preservation Ordinance (repealed)
1965
SA
Aboriginal and Historic Relics Act 1965 (repealed)
1967
QLD
Aboriginal Relics Preservation Act 1967 (repealed)
1970
International
Australia ratifies the UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting the Illicit Import, Export and Ownership of Cultural Property 1970
1970
VIC
Environmental Protection Act 1970
1970
TAS
National Parks and Wildlife Act 1970
1970
TAS
Museums (Aboriginal Remains) Act 1970
1972
VIC
Archaeological and Aboriginal Relics Preservations Act 1972 (repealed)
1972
WA
Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 (WA)
1974
WA
Aboriginal Heritage Regulations Act 1974
1974
NSW
National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974
1975
TAS
Aboriginal Relics Act 1975
1976
CTH
Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976
1977
NSW
Heritage Act 1977
1978
NT
Aboriginal Sacred Sites Act Ordinance 1978 (repealed)
1978
NT
Aboriginal Sacred Sites Act (No. 2) 1978 (repealed)
1979
SA
Aboriginal Heritage Act 1979 (repealed)
1979
NSW
Environmental and Planning Assessment Act 1979
1983
CTH
Archives Act 1983
1983
NT
Aboriginal Sacred Sites Amendment Act 1983
1983
NT
Criminal Code Act 1983 (s125)
1984
CTH
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Act 1984
1986
CTH
Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986
1986
WA
Environmental Protection Act 1986
1986
CTH
Aboriginal Land Grant (Jervis Bay Territory) Act 1986
1987
QLD
Cultural Records Act 1987 (repealed)
1988
SA
Aboriginal Heritage Act 1988
1989
CTH
Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Act 1989
1989
NT
Northern Territory Aboriginal Sacred Sites Act 1989
1990
WA
Heritage of Western Australia Act 1990 (repealed)
1991
NT
Heritage Conservation Act 1991 (repealed)
1992
QLD
Queensland Heritage Act 1992
1992
WA
Aboriginal Heritage (Marandoo) Act 1992
1993
CTH
Native Title Act 1993
1993
SA
Heritage Place Act 1993
1994
QLD
Environmental Protection Act 1994
1994
TAS
Environmental Management and Pollution Control Act 1994
1995
VIC
Heritage Act 1995
1995
TAS
Historic Cultural Heritage Act 1995
1999
QLD
Land Resources Tribunal Act 1999
1999
CTH
Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
2001
NT
Heritage Act 2001
2003
QLD
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003
2003
QLD
Torres Strait Cultural Heritage Act 2003
2004
NT
Northern Territory Aboriginal Sacred Sites Regulations 2004
2004
ACT
Heritage Act 2004
2004
QLD
Biodiscovery Act 2004
2005
NT
Strehlow Research Centre Act 2005
2006
NT
Biological Resources Act 2006
2006
NSW
Heritage Regulations 2006
2006
VIC
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2006
2006
VIC
Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006
2009
International
Australia ratifies the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)
2016
VIC
Aboriginal Heritage Amendment Act 2016
2018
CTH
Underwater Cultural Heritage Act 2018
Source: Terri Janke & Company Pty Ltd

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About this inquiry

On Thursday 11 June 2020 The Senate referred the following inquiry to the Joint Standing Committee on Northern Australia for inquiry and report by 30 September 2020:

The destruction of 46,000 year old caves at the Juukan Gorge in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

On Monday, 7 December 2020 The Senate agreed to a reporting extension for the following inquiry to the Joint Standing Committee on Northern Australia for inquiry and report by 18 October 2021.

Submissions Closed.



Past Public Hearings

27 Aug 2021: Canberra
08 Jul 2021: Canberra
06 Jul 2021: Canberra