7 July 2008 - Environment Minister, Peter
Garrett today welcomed the World Heritage
Committee’s consideration at its meeting
in Quebec, Canada, of an expert report on
Australia’s management of the Tasmanian
Wilderness World Heritage Area.
The report, prepared
by an expert mission sent by the World Heritage
Committee to Tasmania in March, was based
on extensive consultation, field research
and rigorous examination of many long standing
issues.
“It is pleasing the
experts concluded that the outstanding universal
values of the Tasmanian Wilderness World
Heritage Area are being satisfactorily managed,
as are potential threats from production
forestry outside the World Heritage boundary”,
Mr Garrett said.
The mission also found
that the Regional Forest Agreement and Tasmania’s
forest practices system provide an appropriate
framework for managing conservation values
outside of the World Heritage Area.
The World Heritage Committee
suggested a number of additional measures
to enhance protection of possible values
outside the existing World Heritage Area.
These include possible adjustment of the
World Heritage Area to include 21 areas
of national parks and state reserves that
are already covered by the World Heritage
management plan but currently outside the
boundary, and enhancing resources and capacity
for the conservation of archaeological and
Aboriginal sites.
Mr Garrett noted that
both the Australian and Tasmanian Governments
have responsibilities in relation to the
World Heritage Area and would cooperate
in carefully considering the implications
of the World Heritage Committee recommendations.
The Australian Government
agreed in-principle with the recommendations
to extend the 1.3 million hectare Tasmanian
Wilderness World Heritage Area to include
the additional 21 formal reserves recommended
by the expert mission.
Mr Garrett also noted
that the expert mission found no extension
of the World Heritage area into tall eucalypt
forests was warranted as the World Heritage
area already includes a good representation
of tall eucalypts. This contrasted with
the World Heritage Committee’s request to
consider, at Australia’s discretion, a further
extension of the World Heritage Area in
these forests.
The Australian Government
has no plans to extend the current boundary
into production forests.
Mr Garrett said that
the Australian Government agreed in principle
with the recommendations of the five yearly
review of the implementation of the Tasmanian
Regional Forest Agreement and is working
with the Tasmanian Government towards this
implementation.
Tasmanian Wilderness
World Heritage Area The Tasmanian Wilderness
World Heritage Area is one of 17 World Heritage
properties in Australia. Inscribed on the
World Heritage List in 1982, and extended
in 1989, the Tasmanian Wilderness is one
of the world’s largest World Heritage Areas
and covers 20% of the entire Tasmanian landmass.
+ More
$3 million boost to
Indigenous heritage protection
7 July 2008 - Celebrating
NAIDOC week Heritage Minister, Peter Garrett
has announced more than $3 million in support
from the Commonwealth Government’s Indigenous
Heritage Program for 49 Indigenous projects
across Australia.
Mr Garrett said the
program was aimed at helping community groups
and individuals identify, conserve and promote
the heritage values of places important
to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
people.
“The 49 projects being
funded in this round of the Indigenous Heritage
Program are spread across the country and
share a common aim to maintain and protect
Indigenous heritage values as an important
part of Australia’s heritage.
“They include six New
South Wales, 12 Northern Territory, eight
Queensland, five South Australian, two Tasmanian,
two Victorian and 14 Western Australian
projects.
“In the Walgett region
in New South Wales around $70 000 will help
to protect sites of significance such as
burials, campsites, bora grounds and hunting
grounds to ensure the traditional knowledge
of this rich Aboriginal heritage is passed
on.
“The Maroochy Shire
Council in Queensland will receive more
than $90 000 to identify and protect cultural
sites in the region through undertaking
cultural heritage surveys, cultural heritage
mapping and establishing a cultural heritage
database with traditional owners.
“In South Australia
about $45 000 will be used to record oral
histories of Ngarrindjeri elders and create
a DVD and other interpretive products about
Dapung-Talkinjeri people and their land
and lifestyles.”
Mr Garrett said Indigenous
heritage was an important part of our nation’s
past, present and future story, with significance
not just for our Indigenous communities
but for our entire Australian society.
“It’s vital we protect,
preserve and promote their places so that
future generations can share and pass on
these stories for years to come.”
The Indigenous Heritage
Program is delivered in cooperation with
the Department of Families, Housing, Community
Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA)
and Indigenous Coordination Centres (ICCs)
as part of the whole of government delivery
of services to Indigenous Australians.
A full list of the projects
that have received 2008/09 Indigenous Heritage
Program funding is available at http://www.environment.gov.au/heritage/programs/ihp/outcomes-08-09.html
For more information visit http://www.environment.gov.au/heritage/about/indigenous/index.html
Media contact: Ben Pratt
+ More
$20 million towards
securing water for Gladstone
7 July 2008 - The Rudd
Government is contributing $20 million towards
the Rockhampton to Gladstone pipeline project
to safeguard the region’s water supply in
the face of climate change.
Minister for Climate
Change and Water, Senator Penny Wong, said
the 115 kilometre pipeline will deliver
30 gigalitres – enough water to fill 15,000
Olympic swimming pools – to Gladstone every
year.
“As Australia adapts
to the effects of climate change, these
types of projects are crucial elements in
our efforts to ensure all Australians have
access to a reliable supply of water,” Senator
Wong said.
“Half the funding is
for pipeline planning and design work being
managed by the Gladstone Area Water Board.
The remaining half will assist the Board
with the costs of construction.
“The Australian Government
funding together with the $48 million already
committed by the Queensland Government will
contribute to the overall cost of the project
that is expected to total some $345 million.”
The $20 million contribution
honours an election commitment and is part
of the Rudd Government’s long-term, $12.9
billion Water for the Future plan.
“Water for the Future
has four key priorities: securing our water
supplies, tackling climate change, using
water wisely, and supporting healthy rivers.
“Projects like the Rockhampton
to Gladstone pipeline help us deliver on
these priorities.”
Member for Flynn, Chris
Trevor, said: “Securing this water supply
will help support future development in
the region.”
“The Rockhampton to
Gladstone pipeline will provide water to
major industrial users and energy producers
in the Gladstone area who currently draw
water from the over-stretched Awoonga Dam,”
Mr Trevor said.
“The pipeline is a key
element of the region’s drought contingency
plan to meet future industrial demand for
water. Industry in the Gladstone area makes
a significant contribution to both the Queensland
and national economy.”
The pipeline will run
from the Lower Fitzroy River west of Rockhampton
to the Mount Miller pipeline near Gladstone.
It will lie within the Stanwell to Gladstone
Infrastructure Corridor for much of the
distance.
The Rockhampton to Gladstone
pipeline was identified in the Central Queensland
Regional Water Supply Strategy released
in December 2006.
