The Aboriginal Heritage Council met for their regular monthly meeting on Thursday 29 September 2022 in Hobart.
Council considered three permit applications and resolved not to oppose the issuance of one permit with no conditions, and two permits with conditions.
The permit applicants were a mix of private landowners and a utilities provider. The Council deliberated extensively regarding a permit application that included a private developer giving a section of their land that features registered and significant Aboriginal heritage to a local council as Public Open Space. Many questions were raised about how this process occurs, if local councils are obligated to take the land, what their responsibilities would be regarding maintaining the site and heritage, and what this would mean for future access for the Aboriginal community. There was discussion about the benefits and possibilities of returning other small but significant parcels of land to the Aboriginal community in the future instead of local councils. AHT agreed to provide Council with an update on how Public Open Spaces are created at a future meeting. If appropriate management of Aboriginal heritage by local councils is achieved through the creation of Open Public Space, AHC could suggest similar arrangements as an opportunity to protect heritage sites for future permit considerations.
The next meeting of the Aboriginal Heritage Council will be held on Friday 28 October 2022 in Hobart.