Peter Garrett MP
Member for Kingsford Smith
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Reconciliation and the Arts

On the 40th Anniversary of the noted Wave Hill ‘walk-off’ led by Vincent Lingiari it is disappointing that the Minister for the Environment and Heritage has yet failed to include the site on the National Heritage List, considering the Northern Territory Government has taken that step for Territory heritage recognition.

In July 2004 Minister Campbell announced that the Wave Hill ‘walk-off’ site would be given 'priority consideration' for inclusion on the National Heritage List, a commitment which he is yet to fulfil.

The events at Wave Hill changed the face of Australia and were instrumental in the historic campaign to introduce Land Rights laws in the Northern Territory, seventeen years before the Native Title Act was passed through the Federal Parliament.

The Howard Government has a poor record in recognising Indigenous heritage and places of Indigenous significance.

Of the 33 sites recognised on the National Heritage List only five have an Indigenous component, and two of these (Kurnell Peninsula and Recherche Bay) are concerned with the initial contact between Indigenous people and European settlers.

The Minister has missed an ideal opportunity to mark the 40th Anniversary of Wave Hill and its significance to the Indigenous community and wider relevance to Australia’s cultural history.

If the Prime Minister’s commitment to the teaching of Australian history in our schools is fair dinkum then his government should move to formalise the recognition of one of this country’s most historically significant sites.

Contact: Andrew Palfreyman