NRW FOCUSES ON NORTH QUEENSLAND

Natural Resources and Water Minister Craig Wallace today announced that he and his Director-General will embark on a tour of North Queensland next week, following the Mackay Community Cabinet, to meet with community members, stakeholders and departmental officers.

“This presents a great opportunity for me, my Director-General and officers from the department’s executive management group to talk directly with local community groups, stakeholders and departmental officers about natural resource and water issues in North Queensland.

Minister Wallace said he and senior Departmental staff would spend the week focusing on NRW issues affecting the North Queensland region, including visiting local farms, meeting with researchers to discuss advancing NRW innovations, and meeting with industry representatives to discuss local NRW issues including land availability.

“This focus on North Queensland demonstrates the Bligh Government’s commitment to regional Queensland.”

The major event for the week will be the annual Natural Resources Conference.

Townsville will be the first regional centre to host the third annual conference in recognition of the north’s vital role in the economic and environmental health of Queensland.

The theme of this year’s Natural Resources Conference is “Perish or prosper: balanced management of North Queensland’s natural resources”.

Presentations will focus on how Queensland can manage its natural resources sustainably to ensure a prosperous future for North Queensland.

Conference topics include:

• farming without harming;
• carbon offset trading;
• environmentally sustainable tourism;
• the challenges of Indigenous land tenure;
• water recycling from wastewater, stormwater and seawater.

Media contact: Minister Wallace’s office, 3896 3688.