Kimberley pastoralists have attacked a ‘hamfisted attempt’ by Environment Minister Peter Garrett to use a blanket National Heritage Listing over 17 million hectares of the Kimberley to block future development in the region.
WA Pastoralists and Graziers’ Association president Rob Gillam says he has been advised that the Federal Minister is proposing a boundary from south of Broome, east along the Fitzroy River to Fitzroy Crossing, north to Kalumburu and out to sea along the Kimberley coast including Derby.
“This massive area not only encompasses a core section of the pastoral industry, but some of the region’s most strategic potential tourist and mining resource areas, as well as major rivers such as the Fitzroy," Mr Gillam said.
“The Minister is either totally naive, or he has been instructed by his friends in the conservation movement to use National and World Heritage listings to deny any development benefits to both the Aboriginal and broader communities of the Kimberley region.
“Coincidentally his move comes at a time when the WA Government is considering the development of an onshore location for Browse Island LNG as well as important mining and tourism projects in the Mitchell Plateau - and with yesterday’s High Court decision to give Northern Land Councils control over the Northern Territory coastal waters.
“Traditional owners of some of this remote land are supporting tourist and other developments and have already complained about being excluded from the State development review of the region in favour of the Kimberley Land Council."
Mr Gillam said the proposed National Heritage listing was being promoted by the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts with virtually no public consultation or explanation.
“However a National Listing precedes a World Heritage Listing, which virtually ensures that a region is locked away from future development, and that existing industries are severely curtailed.
“If you wanted to preserve the vast riches of the Kimberley for people other than Australians into the future, this would be the best way to do it.”
Mr Gillam said the Federal listing moves were closely linked to a campaign by former Wyndham East Kimberley Shire president Susan Bradley to impose a world heritage listing over the area.
Ms Bradley’s campaign, launched at a recent Australian Broadcasting Commission talkfest in Darwin, claims a listing would not affect people, towns or jobs in the area she was promoting.
“However Canberra in true form has taken up her cry and extended Susan’s boundary to include the whole area - towns, rivers, mineral and oil resources, tourist attractions and all.”
Mr Gillam said West Australians had shown a remarkable ability to manage the development of their State.
“The remoteness of the Kimberley has kept this region virtually ‘on hold‘", he said.
“But now West Australians, - particularly those Kimberley communities – will be expected to stand aside while Canberra and its ‘favourites’ take control of the region via the nefarious World Heritage process.
“Shires in the area are already expressing their concern and their opposition to this move and must be supported by the State Government if it is dinkum about protecting existing industries and promoting future development.”
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