Its function is to protect Aboriginal sacred sites within the Northern Territory of Australia.
[1][2] The 1989 Act originated in a 1977 bill, signed into law as the Aboriginal Sacred Sites Act 1978 in November 1978, soon after the NT achieved self-government, and the Aboriginal Sacred Sites Authority was created.
The legislation became a subject of controversy among developers, the Northern Territory Government and the new Authority.
This Act created the Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority, which included new functions and expanded its work, and also introduced various measures to increase accountability.
Prospective land developers are legally obliged to apply for an Authority Certificate through AAPA.