Freeze on wild rivers protection bill
16.06.2006

FREEZE on plans to rule Cape York's ``wild rivers'' out of bounds for all forms of development has been welcomed by Aboriginal leader Noel Pearson.
Two weeks ago, Mr Pearson's Cape York Land Council joined pastoralists on the Cape in opposing the Beattie Government's legislation on the rivers -- pointing out that they were the groups who depended on the waterways to live.
Acting Premier Anna Bligh said yesterday that a six- to 12-month moratorium would be applied ``to allow for further consultation'' on the legislation.
She said the Government was committed to the protection of the state's wild rivers, but said it wanted to get the balance right.
The legislation resulted from an election promise made in an effort to win favour with conservation groups.
But yesterday the Queensland Conservation Council was quick to draw attention to what it said was a ``broken promise''.
The coalition between landholders and Aboriginal native title-holders on Cape York objected to the legislation, which bars them from putting buildings or any development on rivers or river systems.
Mr Pearson said any proposals by indigenous people to establish businesses to break the cycle of welfare dependency were stymied by the legislation.
However, that is not the view of another prominent Aboriginal leader -- activist Murrandoo Yanner, from the Carpentaria Land Council in northwest Queensland.
Mr Yanner's group has been involved in several battles with mining companies and his organisation's view is that the wild rivers legislation should be implemented immediately.
``We have seen the environmental degradation caused by the construction of dams and weirs in our country and we don't want the problems caused by intensive agriculture or husbandry,'' Mr Yanner said. ``If anything, the wild rivers legislation does not go far enough.''
The Queensland Resources Council, representing mining interests, said through chief executive Michael Roche that the concerns of farmers, indigenous owners and MPs in the state's north ``mirrored'' those expressed in council submissions to the Government.
``Where the minerals and energy sector parts company with the Government is that the existence of a wild river should be treated as a requirement to ensure a high standard of environmental control,'' Mr Roche said. ``This should not occur by default as a trigger for a prohibition on most forms of economic activity.''