Today’s guilty finding against Toodyay Farmer Tony Maddox for breaching WA’s Aboriginal Heritage Act should deeply concern all clear-minded Western Australians.
WA Liberal Leader Libby Mettam said the verdict proved that the chaos caused by the WA Labor Government’s since revoked Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act was not behind us.
“WA Labor showed its true colours with the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act and a leopard doesn’t change its spots,” Ms Mettam said.
“WA Labor at its core believes landowners should have only secondary rights to their land.
“Tony Maddox simply repaired and improved the driveway to his home and that has now cost him $100,000 in legal fees, $5000 in court costs, a $2000 fine and years of stress.”
Even more distressing in the evidence presented was the admission that the Government’s online database showing the boundaries of significant sites is inaccurate.
“People living in suburban Perth should not think this will not affect them,” Ms Mettam said.
“Another recent conviction was for a contractor working for the council at a park in Mindarie, who was fined for digging a hole without permission. Where is the common sense?”
WA Liberals Aboriginal Affairs Spokesman Neil Thomson said the court decision highlighted flaws in the law and highlighted the Cook Government’s aggressive approach to prosecution.
“Only under the Cook Labor Government have the discretionary powers of these laws, which have been in place since 1972, been wielded against individuals in this manner,” he said.
“After it’s disastrous attempt to update these laws, which resulted in the state having to retreat to outdated laws, Labor is now weaponising those outdated laws.
“It should be very clear from Roger Cook’s emotional and irrational attack on the Liberals in Parliament during debate on the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act that an Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act Mark II is a given if Labor wins the March 8 election.”
The Premier characterised the WA Liberals attempts to force a review of the Aboriginal Heritage Act before its implementation as “a dog returning to its vomit”.
