SOUTHERN FORESTS
IRRIGATION SCHEME — ABORIGINAL HERITAGE SURVEY
762. Hon DIANE EVERS to the Minister for Regional Development:
I refer to the southern forests
irrigation scheme.
(1) Has an
Aboriginal heritage survey been conducted on the areas proposed for the SFIS?
If yes, will the minister please table the results; and, if no, why not?
(2) Has the
government consulted with the South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council? If
yes, what issues were raised and how is it proposed that these issues will be
addressed; and, if no, why not?
Hon
ALANNAH MacTIERNAN replied:
I thank the member for the
question.
(1) Consultations
with traditional knowledge holders are ongoing, with detailed surveys conducted
over portions of the arterial pipeline
route. Further surveys will be conducted following final engineering design.
The project has met, and continues to meet, its obligations under the
Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 and, more recently, its requirements under the
south west native title settlement, including entering into a Noongar standard
heritage agreement with the native title holders.
(2) Yes. The
issues raised were not of a critical nature and it is believed that they can be
dealt with through the design, planning and implementation phases of the
project.