News Clippings

Farm Weekly: Court case to defend rights of everyone

When Tony Maddox walks into the Supreme Court tomorrow, Friday, February 20, supporters say he will be carrying more than his own defence. He will be testing how Aboriginal heritage law applies to freehold farmland across WA. The Toodyay farmer has pursued a judge-only appeal against his conviction for breaching WA’s unamended Aboriginal Heritage Act (ACHA) 1972, after undertaking works on a creek crossing at his property in 2022. Found guilty in the Magistrates Court

Darren Brown February 19, 2026

Submissions

Submission on Draft Australian Standard AS 7531 – Rolling Stock Lighting and Visibility

Submission on draft Australian Standard AS 7531 – Rolling stock lighting and visibility Steve McGuire, President WAFarmers 17 February 2026 Introduction The Farmers Federation of Western Australia welcomes the opportunity to provide comment on the draft Australian Standard AS 7531 – Rolling Stock Lighting and Visibility. WAFarmers represents primary producers across Western Australia, including thousands of grain, livestock and mixed farming businesses operating in the Wheatbelt and South-West. Our members rely on both road and

Darren Brown February 17, 2026

Media Releases

Land Titles must show Aboriginal Heritage

WA’s peak agricultural bodies are demanding that the government make immediate changes to ensure existing and new Aboriginal Heritage sites are shown on property Titles. The call comes ahead of a Supreme Court appeal by Toodyay farmer Tony Maddox who was charged for repairing a creek crossing on his property against the Aboriginal Heritage Act, despite not being told a “Site” had been declared on his land. WAFarmers President Steve McGuire said the Department of

Darren Brown February 13, 2026

Tony Maddox was charged by the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage after concreting his gravel crossing. Credit: Olivia Ford

News Clippings

Countryman: Calls from peak farming bodies for Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Committee transparency

The following article was published by The Countryman newspaper today Calls from peak farming bodies for Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Committee transparency Georgia Campion WA’s peak farming bodies have called for the State Government to lift the lid on what they say is the secretive work of the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Committee, which meets every two weeks to determine places of cultural significance. WAFarmers and the Pastoralists and Graziers Association of WA’s call comes as Toodyay

Darren Brown February 10, 2026

Media Releases

Peak bodies call for immediate changes to ensure full transparency in Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Committee

The PGA and WAFarmers have called on the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage (DPLH) to immediately deliver full public transparency of the work undertaken by the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Committee (ACHC). WAFarmers President Steve McGuire said members of the ACHC meets every two weeks and are paid by the government to decide – ‘on behalf of the community’ – places of cultural significance and advise the Minister about questions related to the Act. “There

Darren Brown February 6, 2026

News Clippings

Farm Weekly: KC joins Maddox property rights appeal

The following article was published in the Farm Weekly today KING’S Counsel Mark Trowell has joined the fight to overturn charges laid on Toodyay farmer Tony Maddox for repairing a creek crossing without knowing he had to apply for the minister’s approval. Mr Maddox is hoping Mr Trowell’s experience will undo the precedent that could open the floodgates for hundreds of others to be charged for unknowingly breaching cultural heritage laws. “This is a case of bureaucracy

Darren Brown January 22, 2026

News Clippings

ABC Country Hour interview with Steve McGuire re Aboriginal Heritage Regulations and application

The wonderful team at ABC WA Country Hour presented a solid story today around the WAFarmers’ allegation that multiple corporations have breached the same law that Toodyay farmer Tony Maddox was charged with for repairing a creek crossing on his property. During the interview with ABC presenter Nadia Mitsopoulos, WAFarmers’ President Steve McGuire explains that while the law and regulations are not perfect, the way the Department applied them to convict Mr Maddox is an

Darren Brown January 20, 2026

News Clippings

The Australian: Heritage stoush ‘makes mockery of laws’ intent’

News summary: Heritage stoush ‘makes mockery of laws’ intent’ Western Australia’s Aboriginal heritage laws have come under fire for what critics say is bureaucratic overreach that undermines their original intent. In an excellent article published today in The Australian newspaper, Paige Taylor explains that WAFarmers has launched a campaign highlighting how the legislation makes it a criminal offence to publish photographs of registered heritage sites without ministerial approval, even when those images appear on Google

Darren Brown January 20, 2026

Correspondence

Letter to Minister Reece Whitby offering support for Firearms report recommendations

WAFarmers President Steve McGuire today sent the following letter to the Minister for Police, Hon Reece Whitby MLA. Hon Reece Whitby MLA Minister for Police By email: [email protected] Dear Minister, RE: IMPLEMENTATION OF IMMEDIATE ADMINISTRATIVE IMPROVEMENTS UNDER THE FIREARMS ACT 2024 AND ASSOCIATED REGULATIONS I write following the release of the Standing Committee on Legislation Report No. 51 – Firearms Act 2024 with the support of the WA Firearms Community Alliance. The Committee’s report provides

Darren Brown November 25, 2025

Steve McGuire

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