Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Bartlett for his question. Under the Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Area Regional Agreement, all parties agreed that before considering any renomination of the Wet Tropics to the World Heritage List for its Aboriginal values the Wet Tropics would be nominated to the National Heritage List for its natural and cultural values. This step is necessary because in April 2004 the Commonwealth, states and territories agreed that the Australian government will only draw future nominations and renominations for World Heritage listing from places already on the National Heritage List.

The Wet Tropics was nominated to the National Heritage List for its Indigenous heritage values in 2007, and this nomination is being considered by the Australian Heritage Council. At its meeting in June 2007, the Environment Protection and Heritage Council agreed to pursue a World Heritage tentative list to identify Australian places to be considered for nomination to the World Heritage Committee over the next 10 years. State and territory governments will submit places for the World Heritage tentative list to the Australian government by June 2008.