Act now: Call Labor Ministers to protect Heritage

Help us stop the WA Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act in its tracks. 

WHY WE’RE CALLING

We need to STOP the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act until it has been co-designed with First Nations people. We need allies like you to join with us in putting pressure on the Government to back down on this Bill, and take it back to the drawing board.

LET’S GET CALLING!

  1. Pick one of the Minsters from the list below
  2. Get your phone and type in the number below their name. You will likely speak with a staff member, and there should be staff at their office during business hours.
  3. Once someone picks up, jump across to the script on the right!

Mark McGowan MLA
Premier
WA Labor Party
📞 (08) 6552 5000

Bill Johnston MLA
Minister for Mines and Petroleum
WA Labor Party
📞 (08) 6552 6700

Stephen Dawson MLC
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs
WA Labor Party
📞 (08)  6552 5800

Tony Buti MLA
Minister for Lands
WA Labor Party
📞 (08) 6552 6400

DID THEY ASK YOU TO SEND AN EMAIL INSTEAD?

This is completely normal as MP offices may prefer to receive information in writing. If they ask you to send an email, make sure you ask for their email address. Feel free to use the phone call script to help you draft your email. If you want to email Premier Mark McGowan as well, you can follow this link to a pre-drafted email: https://bit.ly/3c159Dw.

WHAT TO SAY - THE SCRIPT

Here's a suggestion on what you can say, and how you can make your voice heard. You can also download this at the bottom of this page. 

Hi,

My name is [ ___________ ] and I am [ a First Nations person / a concerned citizen ]. I’m calling to let you know that I oppose the new Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Bill. Traditional Owners and knowledge holders have not been properly consulted on the drafting of this bill and it must be stopped until it is co-designed and re-drafted with Traditional Owners.

In the current draft bill, the Minister has the final say on whether First Nations sacred sites can be destroyed or not. Traditional Owners also have no way to appeal a decision made by the Minister about their own cultural heritage. I’m really worried that this new bill could allow another tragedy like the destruction of the Juukan Gorge to happen.

 First Nations people should have the right to say ‘no’ to mining companies and should have the final say over cultural heritage, NOT the Minister. 

 I understand that the bill has just been introduced into WA Parliament and the Government has said they want to pass it through as quickly as possible. This bill is a once in a generation opportunity and it deserves to be scrutinised. The Labor party claims to support First Nations people, and now is the time to demonstrate that they actually do.

Will  [Minister’s name] listen to Traditional Owners and vote against this bill until it is co-designed and re-drafted with First Nations people?

  1. ❌   They will vote against the bill
    1. Oh that’s great news, will they make their position public so that our community knows you are supporting First Nations people?
  2. ❓ They are uncertain
    1. OK. Can you please make sure to let [MP’s name] that the community would like them to vote against this bill until it has been co-designed with First Nations people?
  3. ✔️ They will vote for the bill
    1. That is really disappointing to hear. Please let [MP’s name] know that I would really like them to reconsider and vote against this bill until it has been co-designed with First Nations people.

Thank you for your time and for listening to me. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to re-write the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Bill to both protect First Nations cultural heritage and give mining companies clarity and stability.

Could you please be sure to let [Minister’s name] know I called? 

Thanks again. Goodbye.

 

File
Call Minsters to stop the ACHA.pdf