Port Macquarie will on Friday host a workshop to discuss the draft Aboriginal Culture and Heritage Bill.
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The draft Bill would see the state government move responsibility for Aboriginal heritage from The Office of Environment and Heritage to a newly created authority.
Birpai Local Aboriginal Land Council CEO David Carroll said the workshop was 'important'.
"Currently, Aboriginal heritage is managed under environment and heritage. This Bill, if adopted, would see Aboriginal heritage and culture dealt with under its own authority, on its merits," he said.
"More details will be outlined at the workshop, but a council of 13 Aboriginal people would make up the authority.
"This state-wide authority would deal with heritage issues at the local level."
Port Macquarie is one of some 20 workshops scheduled across the state to discuss the draft Bill.
Written submissions will also be used to decide the exact nature of the proposal.
Mr Carroll said the draft Bill had been 'a few years in the making' but would be worth the wait.
"We are looking forward to this workshop on Friday. I am hopeful and excited that this workshop will produce a good outcome," he said.
"It (the Bill) will certainly be an improvement on what we currently have.
"But the legislation has a process and we won't probably see any changes on the ground for a few years yet."
The chair of the NSW Aboriginal Land Council Roy Ah-See urged Aboriginal people to have a say on the Bill.
"Culture and heritage reform is vitally important to Aboriginal people," he said.
"The current laws don't do enough to protect our culture and heritage and don't provide any decision-making rights for Aboriginal people.
For too long the focus has been on regulating the destruction of our culture and heritage, rather than protect it for future generations.
- Roy Ah-See
"For too long the focus has been on regulating the destruction of our culture and heritage, rather than protect it for future generations.
"Every other state has stand-alone or updated Aboriginal culture and heritage legislation so it's critical that the land rights network and Aboriginal people engage in these workshops."
To attend a workshop, register here.
To email your written submission, send it to: ach.reform@environment.nsw.gov.au
To post your written submission, send it to: NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, PO Box A290, Sydney South, NSW 1232.
To make a verbal submission call: 131 555 (option 3) and ask to leave a verbal submission. These can be up to 5 minutes long.
To make an online submission, click here.
The public meeting to discuss the draft Aboriginal Culture and Heritage Bill 2018 is at Panthers Port Macquarie on Friday, March 23, from 9am until 2.30pm.
