Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Brown for his ongoing interest. The Australian government is supportive of measures aimed at protecting our nation's important biodiversity, heritage and environmental assets. The Australian government pursues these objectives through a range of measures including funding under programs such as Caring for our Country and administration of our national environmental law, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

Conservation of biodiversity and environmental protection through state and territory legislation is a matter for those governments. I am encouraged to see that the Queensland government is delivering on its commitment to establish Indigenous reference groups to consult with Indigenous people about potential wild rivers areas. In 2011, the Queensland government amended the Wild Rivers Act 2005 to provide a formal role for traditional owners in the wild rivers consultation process through the establishment of Indigenous reference groups. I understand that Indigenous reference groups will be established for the five new potential wild rivers areas that the Bligh government will progress if they are re-elected: the Jeannie, Jacky Jacky, Dulcie, Jardine and Holroyd rivers. This follows the establishment in late 2011 of Indigenous reference groups for the Queensland government's consideration of wild rivers declaration in the Coleman, Olive-Pascoe and Watson river areas. While I know there are a range of views about the Queensland wild rivers scheme among Indigenous communities in Cape York, I understand that there are many traditional owners who support wild rivers and who have welcomed Premier Bligh's announcement of 50 new wild river ranger positions.

There are, as I said, a range of views, and I understand that many communities are supportive of wild rivers, particularly in the Channel Country and the Lake Eyre Basin in the west of Queensland. Unfortunately, Tony Abbott—