BATHURST Regional Council has spent almost $900,000 on studies and investigations into Aboriginal Cultural Heritage since 2015.
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The figure was included in a report from council's general manager, David Sherley, which he compiled at the request of councillors.
The report, presented at the May ordinary meeting of council, outlined the matters relating to key activities, programs and issues council is facing and addressing with respect to protection, recognition and reconciliation.
Councillors requested the report due to the delay in building a go-kart track at the top of Mount Panorama, wanting to be transparent with the community by detailing the measures taken and costs involved with the project.
Mr Sherley said that there are areas where there is tension between some members of the Aboriginal community and council, but there were also many occasions where the two worked really well together.
"Yes it's frustrating what's happening to some degree with the go kart track and the second circuit locations, but there are things that we do actually work with them on well," he said.
"Things like the Jonathan Jones exhibition last year, which was done in conjunction with the Wiradyuri elders; the NRL, where we often work with them; there was involvement with them with the production of The Climbing Tree.
"I think it is important that we are aware that there are those involvements."
According to the report, council has spent $563,454 on Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Assessments (ACHA), including four at Mount Panorama and an Aboriginal survey in the Kelso urban expansion area.
Those studies also cost an additional $136,160 in fees to registered Aboriginal parties (RAPs).
Consultation for ACHAs requires the assistance of Aboriginal people to gather information about cultural significance and the fees paid by council are for their field work.
Other costs listed in the report were as follows:
- The total cost on cultural interpretation studies and the anthropological investigations - $182,138 (excluding RAP fees)
- RAP fees paid to date for the ACHAs and the anthropological investigations - $148,400 (including estimates for the second circuit ACHA report)
- The total costs to date - $893,992 (including estimate for completion of the second circuit ACHA report)
In addition to a breakdown of the studies undertaken and associated costs, the 19-page report includes a table listing the ways council has involved Aboriginal groups in cultural and community events since 2017.
Sixty items are listed in the table and include items such as when a Welcome to Country has been performed, when groups have been invited to meetings and invitations to the mayoral suite at motor sport events.
When the report was discussed at the last council meeting, several councillors said they hoped community members would read the report and see the ways council has been trying to acknowledge and respect cultural heritage.
To view the report on council's website, click this link and follow these instructions:
- Click on the blue arrow in front of the item listed as 15/05/2019 ORDINARY MEETING OF BATHURST REGIONAL COUNCIL
- Select the first option, released ordinary agenda, and then click on the PDF link that appears.
- Scroll down to page 29 of the document to item 1 ABORIGINAL CULTURAL HERITAGE. You can also directly jump to this page by manually changing the page number on the black bar that appears when you hover over the page.