Northern Territory Aboriginal Sacred Sites Act.

This Act, consisting of 54 sections divided into six Parts and completed by one Schedule, aims at finding a compromise between the cultural traditions of the Aboriginal and the need for development of the Northern Territory. The Act establishes the procedure for the registration and protection of sacred sites and prescribes how to protect sacred sites in the planning for the development and use of land. For the purposes of the Act, Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority is established and regulated. Functions of the Authority include to facilitate discussions between custodians of sacred sites and persons performing or proposing to perform work on or use land comprised in or in the vicinity of a sacred site, with a view to their agreeing on an appropriate means of sites avoidance and protection of sacred sites; to carry out research and keep records necessary to enable it to efficiently carry out its functions; to establish and maintain a register to be known as the Register of Sacred Sites and such other registers and records as required by or under this Act and to make such recommendations to the Minister on the administration of this Act as it thinks fit.

Implemented by: Northern Territory Aboriginal Sacred Sites Regulations (SL No. 14 of 2004). (2013-11-08)