Newman Government releases plan for Cape York
Published Wednesday, 20 November, 2013 at 04:45 PM
Deputy Premier, Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning
The Honourable Jeff Seeney
The Newman Government has today released for public comment its blueprint for the future of Cape York Peninsula.
Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Jeff Seeney said the draft Cape York Regional Plan delivers on the Newman Government’s commitment to balance economic development opportunities such as agriculture and mining, with protection of the regions’ significant natural and cultural resources.
“This draft plan delivers on our vision to provide indigenous communities on Cape York the opportunity to create a sound economic future, while protecting the environment,” Mr Seeney said.
“Labor locked up the Cape with its Wild Rivers Act, but the Newman Government is taking a responsible approach to planning that encourages appropriate resources sector growth and co-existence with existing land uses.
“Labor was good at creating emotively-named Acts that won them green preferences but delivered precious little legal protection from inappropriate development.
“In contrast, the Newman Government’s draft plan proposes 32 per cent of the Cape will be preserved in a number of ‘Strategic Environmental Areas’, including the Wenlock River and Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve that will be protected from mining forever when the declaration is finalised.
“An additional 53 per cent of the region will be designated as a ‘General Use Area’ available for responsible economic development assessed under the Environmental Protection Act 1994 and the Sustainable Planning Act 2009.”
The draft Cape York Regional Plan identifies three main regional land-use classifications:
General Use Areas (GUAs) are areas where economic development activities are prioritised, including agriculture, tourism and resource activities, while recognising that site-specific environmental and cultural values remain important considerations in any development/resource proposal.
Strategic Environmental Areas (SEAs) are those areas that contain regionally significant values for biodiversity, water catchments and ecological function. The Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve has been drafted as a SEA. Development in SEAs will be supported where it can be demonstrated that the development outcome does not present risk of irreversible or widespread impacts to the ecological integrity of the region’s significant biodiversity in these areas. Activities that risk such impacts will not be allowed.
National Parks are recognised for their protection of the region’s natural and cultural resources. However, these areas are also recognised as not being ‘closed’ to appropriate economic opportunities. Development and activities in national parks may be facilitated where they are ecologically sustainable activities that protect an area’s natural condition and values.
Mr Seeney said the draft plan also identified Priority Living Areas and Priority Agricultural Areas.
“The Priority Living Areas (PLA) will provide greater certainty for investment and growth in regional towns, by setting aside an area in which settlement is the priority land use,” he said.
“In Priority Agricultural Areas (PAA), Priority Agricultural Land Uses will be given priority over any other proposed land use, to ensure this high-value agricultural land use is not threatened by developments, particularly resource projects.
“As with our other regional plans, we are giving local communities greater control of their own economic future, and councils will be able to determine the appropriateness of any potential resource activity within PLAs.”
The draft Cape York Regional Plan has been developed in close consultation with indigenous groups and the community will be given further opportunity for input through an extended 80-day consultation period beginning next Monday 25 November. Submissions close midnight 25 March 2014.
To view the draft Cape York Regional Plan and to find out how to make a submission, visit www.dsdip.qld.gov.au/cape-york
[ENDS] 20 November 2013
Media Contact: Jane Paterson – 0417 281 754 Elizabeth Spry – 0418 928 744
Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Jeff Seeney said the draft Cape York Regional Plan delivers on the Newman Government’s commitment to balance economic development opportunities such as agriculture and mining, with protection of the regions’ significant natural and cultural resources.
“This draft plan delivers on our vision to provide indigenous communities on Cape York the opportunity to create a sound economic future, while protecting the environment,” Mr Seeney said.
“Labor locked up the Cape with its Wild Rivers Act, but the Newman Government is taking a responsible approach to planning that encourages appropriate resources sector growth and co-existence with existing land uses.
“Labor was good at creating emotively-named Acts that won them green preferences but delivered precious little legal protection from inappropriate development.
“In contrast, the Newman Government’s draft plan proposes 32 per cent of the Cape will be preserved in a number of ‘Strategic Environmental Areas’, including the Wenlock River and Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve that will be protected from mining forever when the declaration is finalised.
“An additional 53 per cent of the region will be designated as a ‘General Use Area’ available for responsible economic development assessed under the Environmental Protection Act 1994 and the Sustainable Planning Act 2009.”
The draft Cape York Regional Plan identifies three main regional land-use classifications:
General Use Areas (GUAs) are areas where economic development activities are prioritised, including agriculture, tourism and resource activities, while recognising that site-specific environmental and cultural values remain important considerations in any development/resource proposal.
Strategic Environmental Areas (SEAs) are those areas that contain regionally significant values for biodiversity, water catchments and ecological function. The Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve has been drafted as a SEA. Development in SEAs will be supported where it can be demonstrated that the development outcome does not present risk of irreversible or widespread impacts to the ecological integrity of the region’s significant biodiversity in these areas. Activities that risk such impacts will not be allowed.
National Parks are recognised for their protection of the region’s natural and cultural resources. However, these areas are also recognised as not being ‘closed’ to appropriate economic opportunities. Development and activities in national parks may be facilitated where they are ecologically sustainable activities that protect an area’s natural condition and values.
Mr Seeney said the draft plan also identified Priority Living Areas and Priority Agricultural Areas.
“The Priority Living Areas (PLA) will provide greater certainty for investment and growth in regional towns, by setting aside an area in which settlement is the priority land use,” he said.
“In Priority Agricultural Areas (PAA), Priority Agricultural Land Uses will be given priority over any other proposed land use, to ensure this high-value agricultural land use is not threatened by developments, particularly resource projects.
“As with our other regional plans, we are giving local communities greater control of their own economic future, and councils will be able to determine the appropriateness of any potential resource activity within PLAs.”
The draft Cape York Regional Plan has been developed in close consultation with indigenous groups and the community will be given further opportunity for input through an extended 80-day consultation period beginning next Monday 25 November. Submissions close midnight 25 March 2014.
To view the draft Cape York Regional Plan and to find out how to make a submission, visit www.dsdip.qld.gov.au/cape-york
[ENDS] 20 November 2013
Media Contact: Jane Paterson – 0417 281 754 Elizabeth Spry – 0418 928 744