John Madigan (Victoria, Democratic Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

At this time, some of the oldest established communities in our nation are under threat of losing the connection to their environment and the links to those previous generations which form the foundation of their identity and cultural heritage. The idea of cultural heritage is a relatively new one but one that was long overdue. However, I believe it is an idea that needs to be more widely addressed. Members of the Tasmanian timber communities, who are amongst the oldest continuing communities in Australia, have expressed to me their anguish at the impending loss of the connection to their cultural past by an almost forced displacement from the environment with which they identify themselves.

The intergovernmental agreement of the federal and Tasmanian governments is a direct threat to those communities and fails to respect their cultural heritage. The federal and Tasmanian governments should immediately pulled back from their IGA until all these communities are adequately consulted and a level of protection sufficient to address all their concerns relating to their cultural heritage is agreed to. These communities, these people, these Australians deserve to have their cultural heritage celebrated and respected, not ignored and belittled.