-----Original Message----- From: Webcentral <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > MArch 8, 2000 > > >Urgent Action Needed on Cape York Agreement > > >The State Government needs to get its act together and commit itself to >implementing the 1996 agreement on Cape York land use, or risk losing the >goodwill of all the parties to the historic agreement. > >This was the message from the chairman of the ATSIC Peninsula Regional >Council, Mr Robbie Salee, in support of a meeting of pastoralists, >indigenous groups and conservationists which expressed frustration at the >lack of progress. > >Although the Government has allocated $40 million in Natural Heritage Trust >funds to furthering the objectives of the 1996 Cape York Heads of Agreement, >to which the Regional Council was a party, a recent review of the fund >concluded that little had actually been achieved so far. > >Mr Salee said the agreement was unique in that it united, for the first time >in history, normally opposing interests and he was encouraged that all were >firm in their determination to continue working together to achieve >protection of the Cape's outstanding cultural and conservation values, >recognition of the native title rights of indigenous people and a viable and >strengthened cattle industry. > >"It is now up to the Government to make good on its promise to implement the >agreement and use the $40 million - which is a huge amount of money - to >really achieve something for the people of Cape York Peninsula. > >"It's been four years since the agreement was reached, and I don't know of >any community that has yet benefited from the fund." > >Mr Salee said that unless the Government acted immediately, there was a >danger of losing a precious opportunity to accomplish something special - >something that has been done nowhere else in Australia - where competing >land interests had come together to work for the good of all. > >"This is something that is coming from the people. We might have >disagreements but everyone is interested in seeing that the right thing is >done for all of us in this place that has been called the last wilderness." > > >ends > >Media contact: Gaylene Whenmouth, ATSIC Cairns, ph. 4042 8295 > > > > ------------------------------------------------------- RecOzNet2 has a page @ http://www.green.net.au/recoznet2 and is archived at http://www.mail-archive.com/ To unsubscribe from this list, mail [EMAIL PROTECTED], and in the body of the message, include the words: unsubscribe announce or click here mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20announce This posting is provided to the individual members of this group without permission from the copyright owner for purposes of criticism, comment, scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner, except for "fair use." RecOzNet2 is archived for members @ http://www.mail-archive.com/recoznet2%40paradigm4.com.au/
