Page 3419 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 11 October 1994
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I think it is important that at this point I make specific reference to the need to include Australia's indigenous people in the management of these areas - not just in the obvious areas such as Namadgi but also in the Canberra Nature Park, and particularly in areas like Mulligans Flat and other substantial areas that have been identified as part of a nature park. I believe that it is appropriate that our management strategies include participation by indigenous populations in the management of those assets - I suppose that that is one way to describe it - to ensure that the experience of their cultures is able to be used in proper management techniques.
I was very interested some time ago to visit Kakadu National Park on the basis of an assessment of its management strategy. The management strategy that has been adopted by the National Parks and Wildlife Service for Kakadu includes a quite specific and comprehensive provision for the Binning in that area to play an integral part in the management of Kakadu. I see that it is also appropriate that we acknowledge the Aboriginal presence that has existed within our region, and specifically in the preservation of these areas.
For a moment I would like to reflect on what the Territory Plan provides for. While the Territory Plan is often criticised for being too much of a generalist document, the principles that are outlined in that plan for areas covering Canberra Nature Park and Namadgi, I think, are appropriate for the types of strategies that I have outlined earlier, particularly the involvement of our indigenous peoples. But those requirements in the Territory Plan should be continually reviewed to ensure that we are appropriately changing our management techniques to reflect best practice in these activities. Again I reflect on the management plan for Kakadu, which also specifically refers to the need to continually review the management plan to ensure that we maintain the essential character and involvement of appropriate people in its management.
While we have an extremely fine ranger service in the ACT, I think even they would acknowledge that they are not the fountain of all knowledge in relation to the management of these areas. We should be continually providing them with the opportunity as well to review their management techniques and strategy. We should provide them with opportunities for nationally focused experience, study, travel and assessment. We also should provide them with the opportunity to experience international circumstances where great work is being done in the preservation of wilderness areas. We should be able to manage that in the context of allowing reasonable access without doing damage to that sensitive environment. That is specifically in relation to Namadgi. In the wider area of Canberra Nature Park, I believe that we can also not only provide for advice, because of the quite innovative ways and progressive management attitude which has been taken by our service to bodies outside the ACT, but also learn from the way other people are conducting their business.
If we wish to retain the concept of Canberra as the bush capital we need to firmly establish the principles by which we will preserve our wilderness areas and our nature park for future generations. That requires a cooperative effort by our people who are employed within our own administration to oversight that; it needs to be by deliberate effort of this chamber; it needs to be by deliberate effort to incorporate the wishes of our community into the management programs that we implement. So, Madam Speaker,
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