INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR FROM WILD RIVER LEGISLATION

Indigenous communities in the Gulf and Cape York have nothing to fear from Queensland’s new wild rivers legislation, Natural Resources and Water Minister Craig Wallace said today.

Mr Wallace said wild rivers legislation would not stop traditional owners from hunting and fishing.

Native Title also is not affected by the Wild Rivers Act - because the Native Title Act is a Federal Act which can override State law.

Mr Wallace said detailed community consultations about possible wild rivers declarations on Cape York would begin – as previously promised – after the current wet season.

“Unfortunately there is a lot of misinformation being spread through indigenous communities about wild rivers laws,” Mr Wallace said.

“This is being done by non-indigenous interests and they are scaring people,” he said.

“This has got to stop.”

These are the facts about wild rivers laws and indigenous people.

·There is nothing about a wild rivers declaration that would stop traditional owners from hunting and fishing. Preserving the near-pristine values of the river should help preserve traditional practices, not prevent them.

·The taking of materials for traditional and customary purposes – eg. ochre, bark etc – is not affected.

·A wild river declaration does not stop future development. Instead, it makes sure the development is sensitive to the river system’s natural values.

·High impact developments – such as open cut mines, feedlots, hatcheries and crop areas - cannot be located in the high impact area of a wild river. This applies to all organisations or individuals, whether they are indigenous or non-indigenous.

·There is nothing to stop these types of development occurring away from the high impact area.

·Because the Native Title Act is a Federal Act it overrules a State Act such as the Wild Rivers Act. For example, this recently occurred in the area of industrial relations.

Wild rivers laws protect pristine and near-pristine rivers for future generations of Australians by controlling activities in high impact area immediately adjacent to these rivers.

The Beattie Government announced in February this year the declaration of Queensland’s first six wild rivers, consisting of four rivers in the Gulf and Hinchinbrook and Fraser islands.

Mr Wallace said detailed community consultation would begin after the current wet season about the future declaration of additional wild rivers on Cape York.

“I have said repeatedly that we won’t rush into any further wild rivers declarations until there is widespread consultation,” he said.

“This will include providing full information to indigenous communities.”

Media inquiries: Paul Childs, Craig Wallace’s office, on 0407 131 654.