Change the law to stop the heritage wreckers

THE National Monuments (Amendment) Act of 2004 turned one of the best and most forward–thinking preservation laws in the world into a mere formality.

Prior to the 2004 amendment, the Act was simple: anyone damaging a national monument without written consent of the environment minister and the owner of the monument would be fined and/or jailed.

The 2004 amendment excluded road developments from requiring this consent, in addition to adding an undue preponderance of bureaucratic red tape to a now completely ineffective piece of legislation.