Documents Regarding The Blayney-Kings Plains Section 10 Heritage Decision.

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The disclosure concerns the Department's heritage assessment of the Blayney-Kings Plains gold mine proposal under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act (ATSIHPA) Section 10. Internal emails from January 2025 document media inquiries questioning whether departmental staff conducted site visits during the Section 10 decision period. The Department's prepared response confirms that departmental staff did not attend the Blayney-Kings Plains heritage area during this timeframe, noting it is not standard practice for staff to visit areas subject to ATSIHPA applications unless meeting with applicants or proponents. A separate media inquiry from the Daily Telegraph raises concerns about the timing of legal advice sought regarding Dungeon Road's status within the heritage area, noting such advice was only requested on 29 August following journalist inquiries rather than being sought proactively during the decision process. The disclosure reveals tensions between media scrutiny and departmental decision-making procedures regarding heritage