{"id":"F2017L01252","name":"Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Regulations 2017","slug":"aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-heritage-protection-regulations-2017","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":439350,"registerId":"F2017L01252-fast-fetch-1775955407145","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-12","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Regulations 2017","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\n---\n\n?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\" standalone=\"no\"?>\n\n![](image.001.jpeg)\n\n \n\nAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Regulations 2017\n\nI, General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Ret’d), Governor‑General of the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, make the following regulations.\n\nDated 18 September 2017\n\nPeter Cosgrove\n\nGovernor‑General\n\nBy His Excellency’s Command\n\nJosh Frydenberg\n\nMinister for the Environment and Energy\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nContents\n\nPart 1—Preliminary\n\n1 Name\n\n2 Commencement\n\n3 Authority\n\n4 Schedules\n\n5 Definitions\n\nPart 2—Matters prescribed for purposes of Act\n\n6 Identity cards for authorized officers\n\n7 Prescribed authority\n\nSchedule 1—Form of identity card\n\nSchedule 2—Repeals\n\nAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Regulations 1984\n\n \n\nPart 1—Preliminary\n\n \n\n1  Name\n\n  This instrument is the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Regulations 2017.\n\n2  Commencement\n\n (1) Each provision of this instrument specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms.\n\n \n\n- Commencement information\n- Column 1 Column 2 Column 3\n- Provisions Commencement Date/Details\n- 1. The whole of this instrument The day after this instrument is registered. 27 September 2017\n\n\nNote: This table relates only to the provisions of this instrument as originally made. It will not be amended to deal with any later amendments of this instrument.\n\n (2) Any information in column 3 of the table is not part of this instrument. Information may be inserted in this column, or information in it may be edited, in any published version of this instrument.\n\n3  Authority\n\n  This instrument is made under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984.\n\n4  Schedules\n\n  Each instrument that is specified in a Schedule to this instrument is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this instrument has effect according to its terms.\n\n5  Definitions\n\n  In this instrument:\n\nAct means the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984.\n\nPart 2—Matters prescribed for purposes of Act\n\n \n\n6  Identity cards for authorized officers\n\n (1) For the purposes of subsection 17(2) of the Act, the form in Schedule 1 is prescribed.\n\n (2) For the purposes of paragraph 17(3)(b) of the Act, the following particulars of an identity card are prescribed:\n\n (a) the name of the authorized officer;\n\n (b) the identity card number;\n\n (c) the date that appears on the identity card.\n\n7  Prescribed authority\n\n  For the purposes of paragraph 21(1)(c) of the Act, the National Museum of Australia is a prescribed authority for safekeeping.\n\nSchedule 1—Form of identity card\n\n  \n\nNote: See subsection 6(1).\n\nIDENTITY CARD NO.   \n\nI, (name of Minister or delegate of Minister), Minister for (title of Minister) (or delegate of Minister), hereby certify that (name and description of authorized officer), whose photograph appears on this card, is an authorized officer under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984.\n\n \n\nDated     20 .                \n\n(Signature of Minister  or delegate of Minister)  Minister or  Delegate of Minister\n\nSchedule 2—Repeals\n\n \n\nAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Regulations 1984\n\n1  The whole of the Regulations\n\nRepeal the Regulations.\n\n \n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation maintains its original narrow administrative purpose. It simply updates the machinery provisions (regulations) supporting the 1984 Act without expanding into new policy areas. The repeal of the 1984 regulations and replacement with this instrument represents a standard sunsetting/replacement process rather than scope creep."},"complexity_factors":["Very short instrument (only 7 substantive sections plus schedules)","Only 1 defined term ('Act') in the interpretation section","Minimal cross-referencing (only references to specific subsections of the parent Act)","No conditional logic or nested exceptions","Straightforward administrative prescriptions (ID card format and single authority designation)","Schedule 1 contains a simple template form rather than complex legal provisions"],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument updates rules supporting the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984 by establishing a standard ID card for officers with special entry powers, designating the National Museum of Australia as the official place to safeguard protected cultural objects, and repealing the outdated 1984 regulations. \n\nIt affects Indigenous communities, heritage officers, the National Museum, and anyone handling protected cultural heritage — providing clearer authority, preventing misuse of entry powers, and ensuring a secure, recognised place for safeguarded items."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The 2017 Regulations repeal the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Regulations 1984 in full (Schedule 2) and limit prescribed matters to an identity card form and particulars (s 6, Schedule 1) and designation of the National Museum as safekeeping authority (s 7), narrowing the regulations to these administrative arrangements."},"complexity_factors":["Very narrow subject matter: only identity card form and safekeeping authority are prescribed (see s 6, Schedule 1; s 7).","Short instrument length and few provisions (Parts 1–2, two substantive regs and schedules).","Cross‑references to the Act (subsections 17(2), 17(3)(b) and paragraph 21(1)(c)) mean full effect depends on the primary Act.","Administrative implementation requirements: Minister or delegate must issue cards and sign (Schedule 1), creating small operational costs and recordkeeping responsibilities.","Repeal of prior regulations (Schedule 2) changes prior regulatory framework and requires stakeholders to rely on the new, narrower text.","Low regulatory discretion and low ongoing compliance burden for external parties; mostly ministerial/agency administrative action."],"plain_english_summary":"These regulations prescribe the official identity‑card form and required particulars for authorised officers under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984, designate the National Museum of Australia as the prescribed safekeeping authority, and repeal the prior 1984 Regulations. They affect authorised officers, the Minister (or delegate) who issues identity cards, and the National Museum; they matter because they fix how officers prove their authority and who holds items or material for safekeeping."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-heritage-protection-regulations-2017","history":"/api/acts/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-heritage-protection-regulations-2017/history","analysis":"/api/acts/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-heritage-protection-regulations-2017/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-heritage-protection-regulations-2017/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-heritage-protection-regulations-2017/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-heritage-protection-regulations-2017/documents"}}