Senator WRIGHT: Good morning, everyone. I am going to first of all ask about the former heritage division within the department, which is now known as the heritage and wildlife division. My questions relate to the heritage budget following this internal reorganisation. I note that the heritage division received a significant funding cut in the last budget in the order of 30 per cent over the forward estimates. And that followed a 19 per cent cut the year before.

Yesterday's claims by the Government that the Your Community Heritage grants were a 'new and practical approach to heritage conservation' ring hollow, with the budget revealing this important program will not be continuing beyond 2013, the Australian Greens said today.

 The Government must urgently fast-track development of the Australian Heritage Strategy to stop Australia’s heritage languishing without direction, the Australian Greens said today.

 Speaking during Heritage Week, Australian Greens spokesperson for Cultural Heritage, Senator Penny Wright, said the Government had neglected the sector for too long.

 “Funding for the Heritage Department was cut by 30 per cent in the last budget, seriously undermining its ability to carry out its work,” Senator Wright said.

Senator WRIGHT: I move:

That the Senate

The Government and the Opposition made it clear today that preserving Australia’s heritage is low on their agenda, the Greens said.

 Both sides voted against a motion by Greens’ spokesperson for cultural heritage, Senator Penny Wright, which called on the Government to extend the life of the Register of the National Estate, which will expire in 10 days, leaving many heritage sites without protection.

The Government urgently needs to provide answers on what will happen to thousands of natural, cultural and Indigenous heritage places when the Register of the National Estate expires next week, the Greens said.

“The Government has had five years to oversee the process of transferring these places onto other appropriate heritage registers, but our inquiries suggest the process is far from complete”, Greens spokesperson for cultural heritage, Senator Penny Wright, said.

The Australian Greens are deeply concerned about the future protection of thousands of natural, cultural and Indigenous heritage places currently listed on the Register of the National Estate.

Greens spokesperson for Cultural Heritage, Senator Penny Wright, has written a letter to the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities Tony Burke seeking clarification about what will happen the to more than 13,000 places listed on the Register when it ceases to operate as a statutory register on February 19.

The State of the Environment report released yesterday clearly shows the Federal Government lags behind the community when it comes to the importance of preserving Australia's cultural and Indigenous heritage, Greens spokesperson for Heritage, Senator Penny Wright, said.

"The report indicates that heritage is underfunded in Australia and resources for heritage conservation are declining in real terms. This is alarming and at odds with the community's support for heritage issues," Senator Wright said.