Corroboree Shield: A comparative historical analysis of (the lack of) International, National and State level Indigenous cultural heritage protection

The protection afforded to Indigenous cultural heritage at the international, national and state level is piecemeal, overly bureaucratised, unnecessarily vague, lacking in effective sanctions, and subject to the current Australian Federal government’s refusal to effectively acknowledge the unique place that Indigenous people, their traditional knowledge, and cultural heritage hold within Australian society. Australian State legislation in New South Wales, and Federal legislation is examined, and this paper ultimately suggests Indigenous cultural heritage requires sui generis legislative protection.