Senator WRIGHT: I move:

That the Senate

1. notes that:
   1. the Register of the National Estate is a list of over 13,000 natural, Indigenous and historic heritage places throughout Australia, created in 1975 and currently maintained by the Australian Heritage Council,
   2. As of 19 February 2012, all references to the Register of National Estate will be removed from the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and the Australia Heritage Council Act 2003;
2. recognises that:
   1. Australia’s historic heritage makes a critical contribution to our national identity, community and economy,
   2. the Register of National Estate was frozen on 1 January 2007, and a five year transition period was given for the Commonwealth, States and Territories to assess and enter eligible places within their respective jurisdictions onto the appropriate heritage registers, and
   3. if the transition process is not completed by 19 February 2012, thousands of heritage places will potentially be left without legislative protection.
3. calls on the Government to:

1. extend the five year transition period for phasing out the Register of National Estate as a statutory list by a further 12 months, from 19 February 2012 to 19 February 2013 as recommended by the Hawke Review of the EPBC Act, and

2. collaborate with the States and Territories to ensure that the transition process is completed within that 12 month period.