THE vandals who destroyed what was believed to be an ancient Aboriginal relic are unlikely to ever be charged.
Tasmania Police will not investigate the destruction of a mia-mia, a temporary shelter, at Daisy Dell earlier this month because the structure had not been deemed to be an Aboriginal relic by the State Government.
The Government controls the state’s Aboriginal Site Index.
Neighbouring nature reserve property manager John Wilson said: “The mia-mia cannot be registered on the index unless it is assessed and therefore in the eyes of Tasmania Police it does not exist and never has done.”
Dr Wilson had been campaigning for land surrounding the structure to be made into a reserve under the Aboriginal Relics Act when vandals knocked it over.
His pleas for bureaucratic involvement became more urgent when he discovered the private land was earmarked for clearfelling and plantation development.
Stone tools and cupules, or rock art, have been found in the area.
Dr Wilson alerted Tasmanian National Parks and Strategic Projects executive director Scott Gadd to the discovery of the mia-mia.
In a letter, Mr Gadd advised it would be best if the structure was photographed, measured and left to decay then perhaps later excavated.
Dr Wilson also wrote to Aboriginal Heritage general manager Michael Jones to outline his concerns about protecting the site.
“Obviously, whoever owns and controls this index of Aboriginal heritage in Tasmania has the potential to impact on developments like roads and plantations,” Dr Wilson said.
Comment on the issue was sought from police and the State Government but there was no word from either party.
