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Letter to 'The Australian' Editor - 26/03/07
In a remote place such as Cape York Peninsula, misinformation about Queensland’s ground-breaking Wild Rivers legislation is unfortunately easily spread ("Aboriginal unity on Cape crusade”, 24-25/3). This is regrettable for indigenous communities, which will clearly benefit from wild river protection.
The legislation makes sure that destructive activities such as building big dams and introducing invasive fish and weed species—the kind that have destroyed the Murray River—cannot occur in declared healthy river systems. Contrary to what some communities have been led to believe, at the same time it ensures important activities such as hunting, fishing, visiting sacred sites, as well as taking water for stock and domestic use and building essential infrastructure, can continue to occur. It also does not override native title processes.
On top of this, the Queensland Government has committed to creating up
to 100 new indigenous wild river ranger jobs in far north Queensland to
ensure the sustainable management of these special rivers—one of the
biggest employment initiatives in the region for years. So not only are
we protecting the best our wild rivers, we are creating much-needed
indigenous employment.
Glenn Walker
The Wilderness Society
West End, Qld
(Published in The Australian, 26/03, in response to the article "Aboriginal unity on Cape crusade", which outlined growing misinformation about the Wild Rivers legislation)