Orange City Council has been made aware of an application submitted to the Federal Government's Heritage Department, under the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), in relation to concerns about the protections of the Orange Regional Sporting Precinct.
During the approval process for the Sports Precinct, Council undertook significant engagement with all relevant parties, including the Orange Local Aboriginal Lands Council and Indigenous Elders.
A search of the Aboriginal Heritage Information Management System, which did not identify any Aboriginal sites within the Precinct, was conducted before construction began in 2021. The landscape masterplan also did not locate any Aboriginal sites.
Council is working with the DCCEEW and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act team to clarify any matters needing to be addressed.
Orange City Council receives meeting requests from local residents and businesses on a regular basis. Last month a Council staff member was contacted by Mr Paul Towney who requested a meeting. Council was later advised of the matters Mr Towney wished to raise, such as mining, reparation, sovereignty and Crown Land ownership. These matters are beyond the reach and jurisdiction of Orange City Council; therefore the meeting did not proceed.
Orange Mayor Tony Mileto cited the thorough process Council went through before construction began.
"We've had and continue to have a number of meaningful discussions with the Orange Local Aboriginal Lands Council. Council has a focus on continuing to encourage and build strong relationships with Indigenous members of the Orange community, which includes discussions with Elders, the Orange Local Aboriginal Land Council and Orange Aboriginal Medical Service," Cr Mileto said.
"In 2022, Orange City Council won the Local Government Professional Australia First Nations Community Partnership Award for the Orange Crown Land Negotiation Program, which included the Sports Precinct, recognising Council's relationship with the OLALC."
Construction of the Sports Precinct is continuing. Council looks forward to providing a state-of-the-art facility for both the Orange community and the wider region.
