Media release – Aboriginal Land Council of Tasmania, 26 July 2021

Mansell: foundation for Treaty undermined by existing government policy

Land Council Chairman Michael Mansell called on the Tasmanian government to “change the way it deals with Aboriginal people by showing us some respect.”

Mr Mansell was referring to actions taken by the government in the last month in culturally sensitive areas of Tasmania. “There are at least five major areas where we have been let down”, he said.

They include:

  • “The TWWHA Tourism Master Plan reduces Aborigines to entertainers rather than partners. Neither the government nor DPIPWE have made any contact with us about the deficiencies we identified in the Master Plan;
  • the government report about plans to open tracks 501, 503 and 601 in the Arthur-Pieman conservation area recommended against opening the tracks. The report also recommended Aborigines must be consulted, yet neither the government nor the APCA Management Committee have made any efforts to contact us;
  • Aboriginal Heritage Tasmania is spending unknown amounts of Aboriginal money by taking people in helicopters to our sacred sites without even notifying us, let alone seeking our permission;
  • Parks and Wildlife Service are developing the Freycinet Master Plan and have engaged consultants for the sensitive area of graves sites on the Tasman Peninsula, without first involving Aborigines;
  • Last week the Tasmanian government planned to water down protection of Tasmanian Wilderness. An amendment to be put to the World Heritage Committee was abandoned when the underhanded move was publicly disclosed. There was no consultation with Aboriginal people beforehand, and we have not been contacted since.”

Michael Mansell said: “These are all examples of existing government policy which ignores Aboriginal people instead of engaging with us. A treaty requires trust. How can we trust a government that sidelines us and sneaks around in the middle of the night wanting to change national and international obligations to protect Aboriginal heritage values?”