Twelve months after becoming the Minister for Environment and Heritage, Ian Campbell still hasn’t met with his key advisory body, the National Cultural Heritage Forum.

He doesn’t want to face his critics. Here’s what the Forum members have been saying:

· Emeritus Professor Mulvaney (Australia’s pre-eminent expert on Australia’s pre-history):

“The public should realise the cavalier and biased manner in which the new Heritage Act is administered.” (Letter to the Editor, The Canberra Times, 15 June 2005)

· Prof Simon Molesworth, the Chairman of the National Trust:

"the credibility of the Government's heritage system is in question thanks to the grinding halt in protecting places” (The Weekend Australian, 12 March 2005).

· Prof Bill Logan (former Chairman of the National Cultural Heritage Forum):

“In a single act, [Campbell] threatens to bring the entire national heritage list into disrepute. He undoes more than a decade of work by state and federal heritage ministers and officials to establish a nationally integrated heritage system.” (The Herald Sun, 15 June 2005)

· The Australasian Institute for Maritime Archaeology (AIMA) on the Howard Government’s road works at Anzac Cove:

“AIMA was alarmed by the recent damage to this near-pristine archaeological site. The current works program has done more than compromise the archaeological integrity of fragile relics situated along the length of the affected road area. [It] may have impacted on archaeological remains within the near-shore areas…If the current management practices are allowed to continue more of Australia’s and Turkey’s cultural heritage will be lost. (Submission to the Senate Inquiry into the Anzac Cove Road Works)

· The International Council on Monuments and Sites on the Anzac Cove road works:

“Regrettably, despite the obvious heritage significance of Gallipoli and the considerable heritage expertise available, it does not appear conservation management planning has been undertaken at Gallipoli.” (Submission to the Senate Inquiry into the Anzac Cove Road Works)

Ian Campbell is not taking Australia’s heritage seriously. He is not treating it with the respect it deserves.