1 July 2006 - Queensland Environment
Minister, Desley Boyle, has mislead the Australian
public by claiming the Australian Government has
not honoured a $5 million commitment to buy back
private Daintree rainforest land for conservation.
The facts are:
The Commonwealth allocated $5 million to the
Australian Rainforest Foundation in May last year
to engage with the private sector to protect pristine
Daintree rainforest through land acquisition,
stewardship support and education activities.
The Australian Government has spent $1.3 million
on land acquisitions and in August this year,
the first lot bought with the ARF funds will be
on-sold to a private buyer for the purposes of
rainforest protection and conservation. This purchase
will mark the involvement of ordinary Australians
in buying freehold rainforest for protection.
This is an important difference between the
Queensland Government's buyback of private land
for addition to reserves and the Commonwealth's
programme, which also allows for conservation
agreements on land title and resale to private
owners who will undertake environmental management
and conservation of the property. The proceeds
from sale of the land go back into the conservation
fund.
The ARF has also been contracted by the Commonwealth
to actively encourage and support Daintree landowners
who wish to remain on their blocks and cooperatively
manage the rainforest. The Australian government
recognises the value of working in partnership
with the local community and those landholders
who have a deep commitment to the protection and
conservation of the Daintree.
The ARF has allocated funds from the $5 million
to stewardship payments to landowners for feral
pig control, weed eradication and cassowary protection
works. Public meetings are to be held in the next
two weeks in the Daintree to finalise these issues.
Rob Broadfield
