Bill a historic win for all in the Cape’s future: Bligh
Published Thursday, 18 October, 2007 at 09:36 AM
Premier
The Honourable Anna Bligh
17 October 2007
State Parliament’s passing of the Cape York Peninsula Heritage Bill 2007 is a significant triumph in the resolution of land management issues on Cape York Peninsula, Premier Anna Bligh said this afternoon.
“It’s a big win for the Cape’s indigenous people, the environment and its graziers,” said the Premier.
“What has been achieved is one of the most significant land management initiatives in the State’s history.
“It is a blueprint recognising the significant natural and cultural values of Cape York Peninsula, and allowing for the cooperative and ecologically sustainable management of the area,” said Ms Bligh.
A key aspect of the Bill allows for a new model for tenure resolution by creating a new class of protected area under the Nature Conservation Act 1994 called ‘National Park (Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal land)’.
“The new class will enable a perpetual national park to co-exist with Aboriginal land.
“To demonstrate the significance of the Bill, at least 45 existing and proposed national parks totalling in excess of 3 million hectares (23% of the Cape York Peninsula area) will be incorporated into the new model allowing for joint management of national park land by Traditional Owners and the State.
“This is an excellent outcome.”
“This will bring a new dimension to the presentation of the Cape York Peninsula national park estate and ensure that Aboriginal cultural heritage is fully acknowledged.
“I am pleased to announce that the Queensland Government has committed $3.63 million for the 2007-08 financial year to support the implementation of this new approach to natural and cultural resource management.
Ms Bligh said that in-keeping with the 2006 election commitment the State will allocate funding for voluntary land acquisition for the dual purposes of protection of conservation values, including new protected areas, and the continued return of homelands to traditional owners to enable them to develop an economic future.
“The Bill will look to the future conservation of Cape York’s natural values which have been widely acknowledged as being of world class significance. The opportunity exists to identify and declare areas of international conservation significance and to develop integrated management plans for national parks and nature refuges in the area.
“The Bill clearly defines the approach to be taken for the scientific research associated with determining the sustainable harvest of crocodile eggs.
“A study of crocodile populations in western Cape York Peninsula will be undertaken to determine; the number, size, distribution and maturity of estuarine crocodiles.
“An expert panel is to consider the research findings and make a recommendation on the time needed for this initial study. The Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries will fund the study,” said Ms Bligh.
For indigenous communities it will:
• Create a new class of protected area that will enable national parks to be created over Aboriginal land without the need for lease-back arrangements and provide a simple, cheaper alternative to land tenure processes;
• Designate Indigenous Community Use areas within Aboriginal lands that are suitable for development for the likes of; aquaculture, agriculture or grazing purposes and create, for those areas, a limited capacity for clearing under the Vegetation Management Act 1999;
• Create the ability for land trusts with land in national parks to form sub-regional aggregations for the purposes of negotiating resources and management;
• Identify resources for an indigenous arts program and assessment of other economic development opportunities;
• Provide for the protection of native title rights in the Wild Rivers Act 2000; and
• Establish an Aboriginal environmental rangers program whose responsibility will include management of wild rivers.
For conservation interests it will:
• Designate ‘Areas of International Conservation Significance’ to give initial recognition to World Heritage values and development of integrated management plans for national parks and nature refuges in these areas;
• Remove impediments to the declaration of national parks through the establishment of joint management arrangements with indigenous landowners; and
• Provide a way forward to achieve the declaration of wild rivers in Cape York Peninsula.
For the pastoral industry it will:
• Provide an ability for lessees to access rural lease terms of up to 75 years if they take action to protect world heritage values and enter into an Indigenous Land Use Agreement concerning use and access rights for traditional owners;
• Require that the Minister for Natural Resources and Water consider the impact on the Cape York grazing industry of any decision to transfer a lease or to convert the lease to another tenure in the interests of ensuring that a viable grazing industry remains part of the Cape York future economy.
Ms Bligh thanked the Cape York Land Council, The Wilderness Society, the Australian Conservation Foundation, Agforce, Cape York graziers, Queensland Resources Council and the Cook Shire Council for their valuable input in the negotiations.
Media contact: Premier’s Office 3224 4500
State Parliament’s passing of the Cape York Peninsula Heritage Bill 2007 is a significant triumph in the resolution of land management issues on Cape York Peninsula, Premier Anna Bligh said this afternoon.
“It’s a big win for the Cape’s indigenous people, the environment and its graziers,” said the Premier.
“What has been achieved is one of the most significant land management initiatives in the State’s history.
“It is a blueprint recognising the significant natural and cultural values of Cape York Peninsula, and allowing for the cooperative and ecologically sustainable management of the area,” said Ms Bligh.
A key aspect of the Bill allows for a new model for tenure resolution by creating a new class of protected area under the Nature Conservation Act 1994 called ‘National Park (Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal land)’.
“The new class will enable a perpetual national park to co-exist with Aboriginal land.
“To demonstrate the significance of the Bill, at least 45 existing and proposed national parks totalling in excess of 3 million hectares (23% of the Cape York Peninsula area) will be incorporated into the new model allowing for joint management of national park land by Traditional Owners and the State.
“This is an excellent outcome.”
“This will bring a new dimension to the presentation of the Cape York Peninsula national park estate and ensure that Aboriginal cultural heritage is fully acknowledged.
“I am pleased to announce that the Queensland Government has committed $3.63 million for the 2007-08 financial year to support the implementation of this new approach to natural and cultural resource management.
Ms Bligh said that in-keeping with the 2006 election commitment the State will allocate funding for voluntary land acquisition for the dual purposes of protection of conservation values, including new protected areas, and the continued return of homelands to traditional owners to enable them to develop an economic future.
“The Bill will look to the future conservation of Cape York’s natural values which have been widely acknowledged as being of world class significance. The opportunity exists to identify and declare areas of international conservation significance and to develop integrated management plans for national parks and nature refuges in the area.
“The Bill clearly defines the approach to be taken for the scientific research associated with determining the sustainable harvest of crocodile eggs.
“A study of crocodile populations in western Cape York Peninsula will be undertaken to determine; the number, size, distribution and maturity of estuarine crocodiles.
“An expert panel is to consider the research findings and make a recommendation on the time needed for this initial study. The Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries will fund the study,” said Ms Bligh.
For indigenous communities it will:
• Create a new class of protected area that will enable national parks to be created over Aboriginal land without the need for lease-back arrangements and provide a simple, cheaper alternative to land tenure processes;
• Designate Indigenous Community Use areas within Aboriginal lands that are suitable for development for the likes of; aquaculture, agriculture or grazing purposes and create, for those areas, a limited capacity for clearing under the Vegetation Management Act 1999;
• Create the ability for land trusts with land in national parks to form sub-regional aggregations for the purposes of negotiating resources and management;
• Identify resources for an indigenous arts program and assessment of other economic development opportunities;
• Provide for the protection of native title rights in the Wild Rivers Act 2000; and
• Establish an Aboriginal environmental rangers program whose responsibility will include management of wild rivers.
For conservation interests it will:
• Designate ‘Areas of International Conservation Significance’ to give initial recognition to World Heritage values and development of integrated management plans for national parks and nature refuges in these areas;
• Remove impediments to the declaration of national parks through the establishment of joint management arrangements with indigenous landowners; and
• Provide a way forward to achieve the declaration of wild rivers in Cape York Peninsula.
For the pastoral industry it will:
• Provide an ability for lessees to access rural lease terms of up to 75 years if they take action to protect world heritage values and enter into an Indigenous Land Use Agreement concerning use and access rights for traditional owners;
• Require that the Minister for Natural Resources and Water consider the impact on the Cape York grazing industry of any decision to transfer a lease or to convert the lease to another tenure in the interests of ensuring that a viable grazing industry remains part of the Cape York future economy.
Ms Bligh thanked the Cape York Land Council, The Wilderness Society, the Australian Conservation Foundation, Agforce, Cape York graziers, Queensland Resources Council and the Cook Shire Council for their valuable input in the negotiations.
Media contact: Premier’s Office 3224 4500