TRADITIONAL land owners in the region are seeking greater influence on local heritage matters by seeking Registered Aboriginal Party status.
Under the terms of the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006, any incorporated group that receives Registered Aboriginal Party (RAP) status becomes the peak voice of Aboriginal people in the management and protection of Aboriginal cultural heritage at a local level.
Once approved by the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council, RAPs have the power to grant permits to organisations whose projects may interfere with traditional heritage.
While Swan Hill is currently one of Victoria’s only regions not to contain a RAP, applications are currently being developed for the traditional land owners of Tati Tati and Wamba Wamba country in the Swan Hill Rural City Council area and Barapa Barapa country in Gannawarra Shire.
For more on this story see Monday’s edition of The Guardian (November 19, 2012).
