6 June
2006 - The Hon Greg Hunt MP, Parliamentary Secretary
with ministerial responsibility for national parks,
today announced that traditional owners of the
remote Groote archipelago in the Gulf of Carpentaria
have declared their country an Indigenous Protected
Area (IPA), promising to manage it according to
international conservation guidelines in the interests
of all Australians.
Mr Hunt also announced $100,000
in funding to the newly declared IPA for Indigenous
rangers to undertake land management measures–
including weed and pest control, surveillance
for illegal fishing and cleaning up ghost nets
that foul the remote beaches and entangle turtles.
“The declaration of the IPA
will lead to new jobs for Anindilyakwa people,
based on environment conservation, cultural protection
and ecotourism and the new funding will enable
Indigenous rangers to further their skills in
land management practices and environmental monitoring,”
Mr Hunt said.
“These are strong communities
who have thought long and hard about how they
can protect their country and culture while creating
sustainable jobs on their lands for their children
and grandchildren.
“Last year the traditional owners
put tough restrictions on alcohol. Now they have
decided that their future lies in actively looking
after some of the richest marine biodiversity
in Australia, and the rare flora and fauna that
are virtually untouched by feral pests and diseases.
“Anindilyakwa joins other remote
communities who've found that an Indigenous Protected
Area breaks the long cycle of Aboriginal disadvantage.
An IPA helps deliver worthwhile jobs, new technical
and management skills, confidence and self esteem.
“Many of these skills, as well
as a great sense of community pride and appreciation
for their own culture, are learned by Indigenous
young people through the Junior Rangers program
and, as they progress through training, Indigenous
Rangers programs.
“These types of programs operate
at Uluru and Kakadu as well as Groote Eylandt
and I believe they should form the basis of a
national model to provide career opportunities
in land management for Indigenous people.
“The spin-off is a greater capacity
to look after their own affairs, coupled with
recognition and respect from both the Aboriginal
and non-Aboriginal communities,” Mr Hunt said.
The Chairman of the Anindilyakwa
Land Council Tony Wurrumarrba said the declaration
of the IPA was a historic day for his people.
“Our land and sea country is
everything to us,” Mr Wurrumarrba said. “It nourishes
and sustains us. It contains the story of our
history that stretches back forever. It teaches
us our law and it celebrates our ancestors.
“We want to use our knowledge
and our law to look after our country, but we
recognise that we also need training and skills
in the best ideas and modern methods of managing
country.
“The IPA gives us real jobs
for our people doing work that they value – and
which is valued by all Australians.
“We will develop new business
opportunities based on our land and sea management.
We have begun training our people to work in our
new $16 million ecotourism resort which will open
in July next year, offering visitors from around
the world the chance to experience our culture
with Indigenous fishing, bush tucker tours and
night camps on country with our people.
“As part of the IPA, we will
continue to work with Gemco in rehabilitating
old mine sites. We believe that if mining is properly
managed it can provide economic opportunities
for our young people as well as resources and
expertise to help us manage our lands,” Mr Wurrumarrba
said.
Anindilyakwa becomes the twentieth
community to declare their country an Indigenous
Protected Area. The area now becomes part of Australia's
National Reserve System, a network of important
parcels of land where examples of our biodiversity
are protected for future generations.
Since 1996, Indigenous landholders
have declared approximately 14 million hectares
– almost 6 per cent of Australia's land mass -
as Indigenous Protected Areas.
The Australian Government has
provided more than $14.8 million in funding to
IPAs since 1996, with an additional $2.9 million
to be allocated in 2006-07.
