IF YOU own or manage any freehold or pastoral land of more than 1100 square metres in Toodyay you must read the “Cultural heritage worry” article in the May Farmer’s Weekly.
If the proposed Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Bill gets up many everyday farming activities will be illegal without the approval of a “Local Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Service” (LACHS) office.
These everyday activities would include all ground disturbance to a depth of 50 millimetres (yes that’s 5cm) on freehold and pastoral land more than 1100 sqm (the old quarter acre).
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This Farmer’s Weekly article seems very well researched by Mel Williams and I read it this way: if you have a farm, you won’t be able to scarify for weeds with mechanical equipment, build stockyards, create watering points, install new fencing, rip or plough your land without a permit from a LACHS office.
If you want to establish a new farm, clear land, do contour cultivation, new forestry plantation, scarifying, ripping, new yard construction, watering points or infrastructure you will require “an approved or authorised plan” from a LACHS office.
We can only assume that any transgressors will be jailed and fined tens of thousands.
So, if you are a farmer, grazier or pastoralist, you’d better get a hard-working secretary on staff to process the application and pursuit of the myriad of permits and plan approvals that the LACHS offices will require.
It is likely that many of your everyday farming activities will be delayed for months pending approval.
And if you are a small land holder and you want to plant a lemon tree or sink a pine post to swing that important gate – don’t get too excited – you’ll need prior approval from your closest friendly LACHS office first.
The cost to taxpayers?
Estimates in the latest State Budget put establishment costs over the next four years at a mere $77 million.
And a series of LACHS offices, when established across the state, a mere $300,000 each annually.
If this bill does get up, one wonders if its full outline and penalties will be properly promulgated to all of the appropriate stakeholders.
The Handbasket just pulled in. All aboard, we’re going to hell.
Gary Golding
Toodyay
