The Traditional Owners of this land are those who identify as
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

Sovereignty was never ceded.

ANTAR pays respect to Elders past, present, and emerging through our dedicated advocacy for First Nations Peoples’ justice and rights.

ANTAR acknowledges the responsibility of committing to a truth-telling process that promotes an honest and respectful path forward for future generations to build upon.

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This background paper provides information on the values of First Nations cultural heritage, the applicable laws on the protection of First Nations cultural heritage sites, as well as the destruction of First Nations cultural heritage sites and future community expectations.

The backgrounder specifically covers: the protection of First Nations cultural heritage sites under Commonwealth v State law, recent cases of the destruction of First Nations cultural heritage sites including the Juukan Gorge, the Shenhua Coal Mine, and the Western Victoria Highway Duplication, and the importance of government enquiries such as ‘The Joint Standing Committee on Northern Australia: Inquiry into the destruction of 46,000 year old caves at the Juukan Gorge in the Pilbara region of Western Australia’ and the Aboriginal Heritage Act Review (Western Australia).