Mr Kelvin Thomson asked the Minister for the Environment and Heritage, upon notice, on 14 October 2003:

(1) In respect of the heritage program `Distinctively Australian', how many places could feasibly be assessed and listed under this program in one year.

(2) Does the Government intend to use $13.3 million funding to assess and list nominations under this program over the next four years; if so how does it intend to fund ongoing protection of these sites; if not; how does it intend to spend the $13.3 million program funding in each year of the next four years.

Dr Kemp (Minister for the Environment and Heritage) —The answer to the honourable member's question is as follows:

(1) In the absence of any experience in the operation of the new national heritage regime it is not possible to provide an accurate answer to the question. The number of places that could be assessed in any year would depend on the complexity of the nominated sites, the quality of information on the national heritage values that is available and the degree of consultation that may be necessary for a particular nomination. It is expected that the assessment of some sites will be relatively straight-forward and the assessment of other sites will require detailed research and consultation.

(2) Yes. The funding of protection of the sites will also come from the `Distinctively Australian' heritage program.