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Permalink Reply by Beverley Prescott on December 6, 2009 at 9:02pm

Thank you Jeff.
I shall pass this on to Wayne Bayne.
He will see that it is on another forum as well.
As a matter of interest, the wild rivers legislation has caused a stir in the Cape, even among some of the traditional owners - Some are not happy now that they have realised how much of the rivers they are cut off from. Tanya Major had a good "go" at Anna Bligh on Q and A one night in July about it.

Thanks again.

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Permalink Reply by Judy Kippin on December 7, 2009 at 6:20am

Hi Beverley,
The process has started in The Cape, though it is being denied by the Qld Government. There have been people moving aroung in The Cape for some time and they will soon announce their "consultation" but it will all be set in stone by then. Cape graziers and the traditional owners are very upset but they are being ignored - as always.
There are also letters going out to all lease hold properties in Qld that are due to renew their leases in the next 5 years, that they will be considered for National Park. Qld is going to increase their NP holdings by 5%.

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Permalink Reply by Dinah Aram on December 7, 2009 at 7:11pm

I had a look via World Heritage listed properties......at what this might mean and under the following headings it would appear that perhaps it mightn't be all doom and gloom:


Ownership and Control
World Heritage listing does not affect ownership rights, they remain as they were prior to nomination and state and local laws still apply. In Australia, World Heritage sites do not become Commonwealth property, nor does ownership pass to any international body.
Land Uses
The Commonwealth Government has an international obligation to protect and conserve the World Heritage sites, but there is no reason why existing land uses should not continue after listing, provided they do not threaten the values for which the site was nominated.

....only thing I haven't found info on right now is what "threatens the values for which the site was nominated" issue.

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Permalink Reply by Judy Kippin on December 8, 2009 at 6:44am

When World Heritage was introduced in Far North Queensland by the Whitlam Government the land holders were removed and no production of any sort is permitted on this land. The decision caused huge unemployment in the area, from which it has never really recovered. It is a haven for pests such as feral pigs and wild dogs which are a serious pest for farmers bordering the WH land, and it is full of woody weeds. No attempts are made to control feral pigs and they do a huge amount of damage in the rainforest, which causes run off into the reef, for which they blame farmers. The National Parks contain a huge body of growth which is never properly controlled, (such as those fire breaks that are done are not wide enough etc) and every year people are burnt out. There has been a huge problem this year in The Cape with fires, and this will happen every year if it becomes WH as most of it isn't rainforest, it will be full of feral cattle, brumbies, feral pigs etc, and feral pigs are a huge problem destroying the turtle eggs laid on the beaches. With this declaration, the buffer of protection against diseases and pests coming into Australia via New Guinea and the Torres Strait will be removed, as the feral cattle will not be mustered and any disease outbreak wont be detected until it is well established.

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Permalink Reply by Beverley Prescott on December 8, 2009 at 7:02am

Judy - that is exactly correct. You have explained that so well.
I sent an e-mail last week or so regarding the feral pigs to our state Environmental Minister Kate Jones - (what a person of her age and experience would know about these things amuses me as well!!!!!. I looked up her profile on the Parliamentary site when she first got in).
City-ites have no idea what the real situation is about. The bureaucrats make all these rulings from their ivory towers in Brisbane City. I cannot believe how it all gets thrust upon us as it does!!!!!
I know when I stay in Brisbane any time with my family, no one thinks of anything other than their own back door.
I also hate to think what the Cape will turn into when (looks as though it is not "if") they turn it into World Heritage. So far we have been able to keep diseases such as Foot and Mouth (forget about our politicians in that regard) out of the country. However, the PNG rogues come in there now and that will be free going for them in the future. We will be overrun with all sorts of problems.

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Permalink Reply by Rob Moore on December 8, 2009 at 7:25am

Judy and Beverley, you two would have forgotten more common sense than the likes of kids such as Kate jones ever will have. I think all state Govts should be shut down they are all getting beyond a joke. Withers junket Dept had $198Million to waste this year alone!

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Permalink Reply by Beverley Prescott on December 8, 2009 at 7:57am

By the way if any of you have contacts in the Cairns area, there is a public meeting there tomorrow night - 9th December) at CROSSWELL Hall at 7 PM to discuss Cape york (Wilderness Zoned), Coral Sea (closed) and Wild Rivers (Access Denied).

You know the funny part about all this nonsense is that the climate change is supposed to be going to inundate our coastal areas.
How is it then that the State Government is remodelling the hospital on its present Esplanade site when most wanted it shifted ten or more years ago? Also the Cairns Council has put up a plan for some ridiculous looking Civic Theatre right on the seafront as well? I do not understand their thinking. Cairns needs a new Civic Theatre but not to the extent of this plan and not in that position!!!

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Permalink Reply by Beverley Prescott on December 8, 2009 at 10:15am

Yes, probably temporary, Jeff!! haha
However, we go much bigger than you with OUR Civic Centre - of course they are talking about museum, arts and all sorts of wonderful "necessary" things to make a city as it should be - ours is quoted at 250 million!!!! No mention of running costs yet.

We have these councillors since amalgamation who all seem to have airy fairy ideas with no common sense. What has happened to our wonderful place that we grew up in??
Too many university educated people in power with no real experiences in life I feel.
Oh by the way ours is being referred to by cynics as "Val's Volcano" because of the drawings that have been displayed. The mayor is Val Schier and previously worked in Government Departments!! Enough said.

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Permalink Reply by Beverley Prescott on January 13, 2010 at 12:25pm

We have the ex Mayor of Cook Shire on Cairns radio at present - they are frustrated up in Cape York with the Wild Rivers Legislation. This includes the indigenous members as well. The indigenous have been hoodwinked and now realise what has happened.
We had Stephen Robertson on radio also this morning refuting all that Tony Abbott had to say yesterday - well I can tell you who most people believe in that one!!! Of course Labor members are just blind and do not listen to the real argument.
Graeme Elmes is saying the area up there is now stagnant. They are going to be going all out to get this changed with an election coming up later this year.
My gosh, so many people are being disenfranchised.
Jeff I am going to take more time reading the Cosmos article and will no doubt forward it on when I have had time to read it.

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