Save Time, Money And Potential Stop-Work Orders

Mark Lamont Director, Information & Resources

The native title and Aboriginal cultural heritage landscapes are dynamic. The watershed Timber Creek case in the Northern Territory was a $ 2.5 million lesson for the local council on the importance of conducting assessments prior to commencing public works. And a cultural heritage case has now arisen for Bega Valley Shire Council in NSW.

In December 2021, a $1.9 million road resealing project was suspended after items believed to be Aboriginal artifacts were found in the works area. The council must now obtain an Aboriginal Heritage Impact Permit (AHIP) before works can proceed. The AHIP process is complex and requires an Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Assessment (ACHA) as well as extensive consultation with the local Aboriginal Land Council. Bega’s Acting Director Assets and Operations suggests the process will take up to 40 weeks before work can recommence. In the interim, the speed limit for the road will be reduced to 40 km per hour.

A preliminary assessment, like those available in IPWEAQ’s native title and cultural heritage portal, iMPACT (Integrated Management Portal for Assessment of Cultural heritage and native Title) would have revealed the potential for artefacts providing an opportunity for safe removal and storage, and the project could have proceeded on time and on budget.

These types of cases are arising more frequently highlighting the importance of planning before any works are undertaken.

Not all councils have the internal resources to undertake these assessments and that is where IPWEAQ is able to assist. Councils can either subscribe annually for access to the portal if they have internal personnel to undertake the assessments OR engage IPWEAQ to undertake the assessments. Assessments can be undertaken as a one-off $1,000 per assessment or with an Assessment Package - five assessments for $4,000.

Many government grants now require declarations that assessments have been undertaken. And the sooner those assessments are undertaken – for native title and cultural heritage – the better it is for project outcomes. Needless to say, engagement with traditional owners early in the process will benefit all parties and engender ongoing better relationships for future projects.

Council’s reputation is also preserved as it does not make headlines having destroyed artefacts or shown disrespect to traditional owners.

If you would like to subscribe to iMPACT or to organise an individual or package of assessments, please contact Mark Lamont at Mark.Lamont@ ipweaq.com.

Nominate your council’s representative to join the iMPACT consortium

Annual Subscription (all councils, utilities, government departments, consultancies and mining companies) + GST

One-off Project Assessment $1,000

Assessment Package - five project assessments $4,000

Councils < 25,000 constituents $3,000

All other councils, utilities, consultancies and other industry entities eg mining, pastoral Access to iMPACT including ongoing capability training to meet your changing needs $5,000

$8,000

20% discount applies to subscribers of the Public Works Technical Subscription (PWTS)

i M P A C T

i ntegrated M anagement P ortal for A sessment of C ultural heritage and native T itle