Andrew Hastie (Canning, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today I call on the Western Australian Labor government to delay the implementation of the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act. Rammed through parliament in 2021, these laws come into effect on 1 July. The lack of consultation has caused confusion and distress. I want to be clear: this law will affect everyone—local councils, shires, businesses, farmers and homeowners.

Every Western Australian with more than 1,100 square metres of land will be impacted, requiring a permit for activities such as clearing trees or building a fence line. Farmers will have to gain a permit to install a new stock watering point, paying a consultant up to $160 an hour plus field and travel expenses.

Debbie, a farmer from WA's Mid West, is looking to invest in track yards, rehydration stations and fencing over the coming years. She's worried the costs will be crippling, saying, 'It's like they could hold us to ransom.' A petition calling for the act to be delayed attracted nearly 30,000 signatures, but WA Labor continues to ignore our concerns.

This issue casts serious doubt on Labor's ability to handle the Voice proposal. If they mishandle this law, how can we trust federal Labor with a risky, permanent Voice that lacks any concrete details on how it will operate? No wonder so many are rejecting Labor's Voice. It's time for WA Labor to listen to the people and postpone the implementation of the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act immediately.