Australian heritage laws exist at the national (Commonwealth) level, and at each of Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia state levels.
It is these laws, and their associated regulations, registers, agreements, case law, and practices that seek to protect, preserve, present, and transmit the Australian nation's natural, cultural, and historical heritage into the future.
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The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984 (Cwlth) is legislation passed by the parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia to enable the Commonwealth to intervene and, where necessary, preserve and protect areas and objects of particular significance to Australia's Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander peoples from being desecrated or injured [1]
The primary legislation relied upon within New South Wales to conserve the State's cultural heritage, and promote public understanding, appreciation and enjoyment of places, objects, and features of significance to the State's Aboriginal peoples, is the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 (NSW)
As at 16 April 2003, within Queensland, legislation has been passed by Parliament to provide statutory protection to all Aboriginal heritage across the whole of the State, irrespective of tenure, and irrespective of whether or not this heritage has been previously identified as such within a database created and held by the State's 'Cultural Heritage Coordination Unit', within its Department of Natural Resources and Water.[2]