Collier 'told of Broome site listing'

Written on the 13 December 2016

Questions are being asked about when Aboriginal Affairs Minister Peter Collier first knew that Broome was to be the subject of a heritage assessment and whether he could have done more to anticipate community anger.

A letter obtained byThe West Australian appears to show Mr Collier was aware the Department of Aboriginal Affairs was to evaluate Broome and other sites for cultural and spiritual sites before confusing newspaper advertisements about the process were published last month.

Local councillors, residents and Aboriginal traditional owners in Broome have expressed dismay at the way the assessment was announced, with some claiming the department was trying to list the town by stealth.

Advertisements on November 5 referred only to the site LCS11 being assessed, and made no specific mention of Broome.

A letter from the department's registrar of Aboriginal sites to a landowner, dated November 3, noted the minister had "committed" to having the status of 35 heritage sites reviewed.

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Source: Broome Advertiser, Glenn Cordingly, Nick Butterlyand