Mehreen Faruqi (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) the Royal National Park in New South Wales has enormous heritage value, including being the first national park in Australia, as well as one of the first in the world, and

(ii) it has been six years since the Federal and New South Wales State Governments committed to nominating the Royal National Park for World Heritage status; and

(b) calls on the Federal Government to demonstrate environmental leadership and work with the New South Wales government to place the Royal National Park on Australia's Tentative World Heritage List.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The proposal to include Royal National Park on Australia's Tentative World Heritage List would be best directed to the New South Wales government. Consistent with the decisions of the meeting of environment ministers in December 2015, the New South Wales government is responsible for conducting the necessary work to demonstrate that a credible case for World Heritage List inscription can be mounted before the Royal National Park could be considered for Australia's Tentative World Heritage List. If such a case can be made by the New South Wales government, the Royal National Park could be considered for Australia's tentative list, along with recommendations for other places made by any other state or territory.

Mehreen Faruqi (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Mehreen Faruqi (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On the doorstep of Sydney lies Australia's oldest national park, and the second-oldest in the world. The Royal National Park, or 'the Nasho', as locals call it, is an environmental and cultural jewel, and more than 4½ million people visit it every single year. The national park deserves to be nominated for World Heritage listing, and it has been six years since both the New South Wales government and the federal government committed to working together to make this happen. The community is deeply frustrated at the slow pace and wants to know what is going on. In that time, we've had a plethora of environmental ministers at both the federal and the state level. So, just get your act together, and let's give the Nasho the protection it deserves.

Question agreed to.