Australia’s Native Title and Aboriginal heritage
laws provide a framework for approaching land, mining and other development approvals with fairness and respect for the Indigenous people.
This can be a complex part of the project approvals process requiring special knowledge in the relevant laws and how they are applied, and an understanding for how best to engage Traditional Owners.
Strategen has expertise and experience in helping clients to navigate Native Title and Aboriginal heritage issues as part of overall project approvals. Land acquisition for public purposes often raises Native Title, Aboriginal heritage, and environmental issues that need to be carefully sequenced and managed. We deliver this support as an integrated part of our formal approvals and social licence services.
This means Strategen can provide a high level of quality assurance and management across the project approvals spectrum, including for Native Title and Aboriginal heritage issues. This builds efficiencies into project plans especially at the pre-feasibility and feasibility stages, and makes it easier for proponents to navigate overall project approvals.
Strategen’s Native Title and
Aboriginal heritage services include:
- Advice about the heritage approval processes for land and mining developments.
- Supervision of heritage consultants.
- Vetting and appraisal of heritage reports.
- Strategic advice about negotiating the native title processes for mining, exploration and land developments.
- Support to negotiate Native Title agreements.
- Consultation with native title holders, traditional owners and Aboriginal stakeholders.
- Liaison with relevant Government agencies.
Our people
Strategen’s Native Title and Aboriginal heritage service is led by former National Native Title Tribunal executive Hugh Chevis, supported by Bill Carr and several other staff with experience in handling heritage matters and consultation.
Hugh worked for the Tribunal for 15 years, including 12 years as Service Delivery Director. Hugh’s achievements included mediation of native title applications, implementation of the amendments to the Native Title Act in 1998, involving the introduction of the registration test and Indigenous Land Use Agreements, and support in the management of future act matters.
Hugh was responsible for State registry operations nationally. He represented the Tribunal on the Attorney General’s Native Title Claims Resolution Review in 2005/06 and appeared before many Parliamentary hearings.
Bill has a long career in government managing environmental, heritage and native title issues. He was General Manager, Land and Resource Access for the WA Department of Mines and Petroleum. More recently he had a major role in amending the Conservation and Land Management Act to provide for joint management and recognition of Aboriginal issues arising in particular from native title settlements.
He has an ongoing role advising government of the management of the petroglyphs on the Burrup Peninsula.
About Strategen
Strategen is a team of environmental and social professionals with a passion for innovation and excellence in project approvals, impact assessment and management.
We are strategists and problem solvers who strive to simplify complex approval, assessment and regulatory processes for our clients.
Strategen was founded in 1994 by former Environmental Protection Authority board member and Swan River Trust Chairman Charlie Welker, and remains a privately-owned and proudly Western Australian company.
Our focus is to deliver timely and cost effective outcomes for our clients across the range of environment, water, planning and other statutory approvals.