Outcome:	1. Environment			Question No:  31
Division/Agency:	Heritage
Topic:	Cultural Heritage in Iraq
Hansard Page ECITA:	104

Senator Carr asked:
What is the nature of the work you have contributed to (in relation to the heritage of Iraq)? 

Answer:
In May 2003, following the war in Iraq and extensive looting of Iraqi cultural heritage objects, the then Minister for the Environment and Heritage, the Hon Dr David Kemp, established the Cultural Heritage Reference Group for Iraq.  The Reference Group was to provide the Australian Government with advice on assistance in the recovery and future protection of Iraq’s cultural heritage, including prevention and detection of illegal exportation to Australia.  This is the only heritage work related to Iraq to which the Department has contributed.

Outcome:	1. Environment			Question No:  32
Division/Agency:	Heritage
Topic:	Cultural Heritage in Iraq
Hansard Page ECITA:	105

Senator Carr asked:
(a)	I am particularly interested because I would like to know how much money was spent on the group and, in particular, comments made at the time by the minister that Australia was working with Interpol and international heritage bodies to stop the trafficking in Iraqi artefacts. What actions were taken with regard to that? 
(b)	Were any documents produced? Is there any evidence that this group actually did anything that would justify the minister’s press release of 19 May 2003?
(c)	Could I have a copy of any reports that were prepared?  
(d)	Did any member of the department or the Heritage Commission or any other government officials visit Iraq-that is why I asked the first question-as part of this project? Who did they meet and who met the costs? What were the outcomes of their visits? Were any consultancies undertaken? What is the nature of the work you have contributed to (in relation to the heritage of Iraq)? 

Answer:
(a)	Total expenditure was $28 960.09.  A representative of the Reference Group attended meetings with Interpol and the International Council of Museums (ICOM). These meetings supported the development by ICOM of the Emergency International Red List of Iraqi Antiquities at Risk.  

Another member of the Reference Group, a specialist in Middle Eastern archaeology, also attended a conference at the British Museum in July 2003 on Archaeology in the Middle East which included reporting on Iraq. 

(b)	Yes, the Reference Group produced a report which was forwarded to UNESCO.

(c)	A copy of the report of the Cultural Heritage Reference Group for Iraq is attached.

(d)	There were no official visits to Iraq by members of the Department, the former Australian Heritage Commission or the Australian Heritage Council.

Outcome:	1. Environment			Question No:  33
Division/Agency:	Heritage Division
Topic:	Cultural Heritage in Iraq
Hansard Page ECITA:	105 and 110

Senator Carr asked:

(a).	I would like to know what the $30,000 was spent on and why it was that the company, The Distillery Pty Ltd, received this money.

(b).	Finally, I return to the department’s annual report of 2002-03 and the $30,000 to The Distillery. Can you confirm that The Distillery specialises in security and law enforcement information technology? I presume in that process you can explain to me what connections they have with heritage. It could well be that it is part of your Interpol work, but I would be interested to know what the records show on that matter. 
Answer:
(a)	The Department paid The Distillery $17,816.08 for professional services and a further $8 658.11 in travel expenses, making a total of $26,474.19.  The Distillery’s then Director of Operations and Special Services participated in a number of international meetings and assisted the Reference Group by:
•	providing the Reference Group with current information on the impact of the conflict on Iraq’s cultural heritage, and the responses of international museums and agencies to this impact;
•	providing the Australian Government with the first English translation of the Iraq Heritage and Antiquities Law 2002; and
•	facilitating international cooperation with agencies including the International Council of Museums, the British Museum and the USA State Department. 

(b)	The Distillery has expertise in law enforcement and national security. The then Director of Operations and Special Services was an Australian specialist in international art recovery. 

Outcome:	1. Environment			Question No: 34
Division/Agency:	Heritage Division
Topic:	Mr Harley
Hansard Page ECITA:	107

Senator Carr asked:
On how many occasions has Mr Harley excused himself from deliberations of the Council when considering matters in which he has a direct or financial interest?

Answer:
Mr Harley excused himself from participation in discussion, on the basis of direct or financial interest on the occasions listed below.  On these occasions Mr Harley also asked that documents relating to these matters be withheld from him.

Meeting	Date	Place subject to the declaration	
AHC 2	28 May 2004	Dampier Archipelago	
AHC 4	22-23 July 2004	Burrup Peninsula 	
AHC 5	16 September 2004	Burrup Peninsula	
AHC 9	3 December 2004	Burrup Peninsula 	
AHC 16	6 April 2005	Wara-n’hayara Plateau 	
AHC 18	18 May 2005	Burrup Peninsula and Wara-n’hayara Plateau	
AHC 25	1 August 2005	Wara-n’hayara Plateau; Burrup Peninsula 	
AHC 26	19 September 2005	Barrow Island	
AHC 29	16 November 2005	Wara-n’hayara Plateau 	
AHC 31	16 December 2005	Burrup Peninsula	

Outcome:	1. Environment		Question No: 35
Division/Agency:	Heritage Division
Topic:	Extensions to the nomination period for the National Heritage List

Hansard Page ECITA:	109

Senator Carr asked:
(a)	Can we have a list of those (35 occasions the Minister has granted extensions)?

(b)	Could I have a list of the 24 that are on the heritage list and the 24 that have been rejected?

Answer/s:
(a)	The list of the 35 occasions is at Attachment A.

(b)	The list of inclusions in the National Heritage List is at Attachment B. The list of rejected places is at Attachment C. Please note that 25 places have been rejected. One place, Cameron Offices, ACT, is being reassessed by the Australian Heritage Council on the basis of new information supplied by the original nominator.

No.	Date Extension Granted	Name of Place	
1.	25/11/2004	Kurnell Peninsula, NSW	
2.	10/03/2005	Dampier Archipelago Rock Art Site, WA	
3.	10/03/2005	Burrup Peninsula, Islands of the Dampier Archipelago and Dampier Coast, WA.	
4.	10/03/2005	Lady Julia Percy Island - Tyrendarra Area, Vic	
5.	10/03/2005	Anzac Cove, Turkey	
6.	10/03/2005	Buna, Sananada, Gona Coastal Strip, Papua New Guinea	
7.	10/03/2005	Recherche Bay Area, Tas	
8.	10/03/2005	Point Cook Air Base, Vic	
9.	10/03/2005	Point Nepean Area, Portsea, Vic	
10.	10/03/2005	Arch of Victory and Avenue of Honour, Vic	
11.	10/03/2005	Tree of Knowledge, Barcaldine, Qld	
12.	10/03/2005	Haberfield Conservation Area, NSW	
13.	01/07/2005	High Court National Gallery Precinct, ACT	
14.	29/07/2005	Tarkine Wilderness Area, Tas	
15.	25/08/2005	North Head, Manly, NSW	
16.	25/08/2005	Haberfield Conservation Area, NSW	
17.	25/08/2005	Dundullimal Homestead Group, Dubbo, NSW	
18.	25/08/2005	Point Cook Air Base, Vic	
19.	25/08/2005	Point Nepean Area, Portsea, Vic	
20.	25/08/2005	Quarantine Station and surrounds, Portsea, Vic	
21.	25/08/2005	Rippon Lea House and Garden, Elternwick, Vic	
22.	25/08/2005	HMVS Cerberus, Black Rock, Vic	
23.	25/08/2005	Tree of Knowledge, Barcaldine, Qld	
24.	25/08/2005	Dampier Archipelago Rock Art Site, WA	
25.	25/08/2005	Burrup Peninsula, Islands of the Dampier Archipelago and Dampier Coast, WA.	
26.	25/08/2005	Hermannsburg Historic Precinct, NT	
27.	25/08/2005	High Court National Gallery Precinct, ACT	
28.	07/10/2005	Lavender Bay, Milson’s Point Foreshore, NSW	
29.	07/10/2005	Arch of Victory and Avenue of Honour, Vic	
30.	07/10/2005	Echuca Wharf, Vic	
31.	07/10/2005	The Adelaide City Parklands, SA	
32.	07/10/2005	Great Western Tiers. Tas.	
33.	05/12/2005	Cape Inscription, Dirk Hartog Island	
34.	05/12/2005	Pitt Town	
35.	05/12/2005	Charing Cross Commercial Centre, Waverley Sydney	
Q35 Att A
Extensions to nomination period for the National Heritage List

Further details can be obtained from the Department of the Environment and Heritage Website at: http://www.deh.gov.au/cgi-bin/epbc/heritage_ap.pl?list=NHL&name=nomination&state=&limit=9999&text_search=

Q35 Att B

Places included in the National Heritage List

Place 	Nearest Town	State
	Date Listed	
South Australian Old and New Parliament Houses	Adelaide	SA	26/01/2006	
Tree of Knowledge and curtilage	Barcaldine	Qld	26/01/2006	
Melbourne Cricket Ground	Jolimont	Vic	26/12/2005	
HMVS Cerberus	Black Rock	Vic	14/12/2005	
Richmond Bridge	Richmond	Tas	25/11/2005	
Recherche Bay (North East Peninsula) Area	Southport	Tas	07/10/2005	
Newman College	Parkville	Vic	21/09/2005	
ICI Building (former)	East Melbourne	Vic	21/09/2005	
Sidney Myer Music Bowl	Melbourne	Vic	21/09/2005	
Australian Academy of Science Building	Canberra City	ACT	21/09/2005	
First Government House Site	Sydney	NSW	19/08/2005	
Fremantle Prison (former)	Fremantle	WA	01/08/2005	
Sydney Opera House	Sydney	NSW	12/07/2005	
Glenrowan Heritage Precinct	Glenrowan	Vic	03/07/2005	
Brewarrina Aboriginal Fish Traps (Baiames Ngunnhu)	Brewarrina	NSW	26/05/2005	
Port Arthur Historic Site	Port Arthur	Tas	26/05/2005	
Kurnell Peninsula Headland	Kurnell	NSW	28/02/2005	
Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park	Castlemaine	Vic	27/01/2005	
Mawsons Huts and Mawsons Huts Historic Site	Dumont D'Urville Station	Australian Antarctic Territory	27/01/2005	
Eureka Stockade Gardens	Eureka	Vic	08/12/2004	
Budj Bim National Heritage Landscape - Tyrendarra Area	Tyrendarra	Vic	20/07/2004	
Budj Bim National Heritage Landscape - Mt Eccles Lake Condah Area	Macarthur	Vic	20/07/2004	
Royal Exhibition Building National Historic Place	Carlton	Vic	20/07/2004	
Dinosaur Stampede National Monument	Winton	Qld	20/07/2004	

Qon35 Att C

Places rejected for entry in the National Heritage List

Place	Nearest Town	State	Date Rejected	
Yooroonah Tank Barrier	Ebor	NSW	20/12/2005	
Doctors Creek Tidal Area	Derby	WA	20/12/2005	
Church Hill	Port Macquarie	NSW	14/11/2005	
Old Melbourne Gaol	Melbourne	Vic	14/11/2005	
Haberfield Conservation Area	Haberfield	NSW	08/11/2005	
Barwon Sewer Aqueduct	Breakwater	Vic	08/11/2005	
Arch of Victory and Avenue of Honour	Ballarat	Vic	08/11/2005	
Kyneton Mechanics Institute and Library	Kyneton	Vic	08/11/2005	
BMA House	Sydney	NSW	21/09/2005	
Bondi Surf Pavilion	Bondi Beach	NSW	14/09/2005	
Lady Julia Percy Island - Tyrendarra Area	Yambuk	Vic	09/09/2005	
Tasmanian Seamounts Area	Hobart	Continental Shelf	09/09/2005	
Hydro Electric Commission Building (former)	Hobart	Tas	21/07/2005	
Cameron Offices	Belconnen	ACT	21/07/2005	
Brandy Marys Bago State Forest Crown Leases	Talbingo	NSW	03/06/2005	
Barlings Beach Area	Tomakin	NSW	03/06/2005	
Lidcombe Hospital (former)	Lidcombe	NSW	03/06/2005	
Palma Rosa	Hamilton	Qld	03/06/2005	
New Farm Park	New Farm	Qld	03/06/2005	
Cairns Yacht Club	Cairns	Qld	03/06/2005	
Bendigo Town Hall	Bendigo	Vic	08/02/2005	
Bradmans Birthplace	Cootamundra	NSW	16/10/2004	
Eurama	Faulconbridge	NSW	16/10/2004	
War Graves, Mildura Public Cemetery	Mildura	Vic	16/10/2004	
Golden Grove House, Shearing Sheds and Quarters	Golden Grove	SA	16/10/2004	

Outcome:	1. Environment			Question No:  36
Division/Agency:	Heritage Division
Topic:	Shark Bay
Hansard Page ECITA:	110

Senator Siewert asked:
(a)	What is the hold up?  The area (Shark Bay World Heritage Area) was nominated in 1991 or 1992 and that plan has been in draft form, as far as I am aware, for at least five years, if not longer.

(b)	When you are taking that on notice, can you tell me how close it is to finalisation and what are the hold-ups.  It has been, I am sure, longer than five years.  I am aware there were some issues with regard to mining and the Commonwealth requiring WA to deal with some mining issues.  I fully support the Commonwealth, if that is still the position they are taking.  But I would like to know why it is still being held up. 

Answer/s:
(a)	On 8 March 2006 the Minister wrote to the Western Australian Minister for Environment, Racing and Gaming, the Hon Mark McGowan MLA, agreeing to the release of the draft Shark Bay World Heritage Property Strategic Plan for public comment for a period of two months.  The Strategic Plan will be finalised following the receipt of public comments and approval by both the Minister for the Environment and Heritage and the WA Minister for Environment, Racing and Gaming.

(b)	See answer to 36(a).