The State, People and Archaeologists

Though I was asked for this contribution because I am a 'state' or 'public' archaeologist, I have no mandate to speak for any other such archaeologists in Australia, nor do I intend to discuss the interpretation or administration of the various acts which throughout most of Australia limit and control the activities of professional archaeologists. I suspect that it is not the actual details of legislation, but the principles of its interpretation which is of most interest and relevance to the first symposium of the AAA