New draft law won't protect our sites, say Aboriginal groups


FILE PHOTO: A miner holds a lump of iron ore at a mine located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, December 2, 2013. REUTERS/David Gray

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Aboriginal protesters on Thursday sharply criticised revisions to Western Australia's heritage laws, saying that, under the proposed changes, their traditional lands remained exposed to the risk of being destroyed by developers.

Legislation in the state has until now largely green-lit development projects on heritage sites, but the drafting of amendments to those laws has gathered pace since Rio Tinto last year legally destroyed ancient rock shelters for an iron ore mine there, prompting a public outcry.

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