Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Items

The Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986 (the Act) is administered by the Minister for the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. The purpose of the Act is to protect, for the benefit of the nation, objects which if exported would significantly diminish Australia’s cultural heritage. The Act also allows Australia to return cultural heritage objects to other countries that have been illegally exported from their country of origin.