Kirsten Livermore (Capricornia, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. Would the minister update the House on the government's recent actions to improve the protection of Australia's unique environment. How have these been received and what is the government's response?

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Capricornia for the question. During the parliamentary break over the last fortnight I was able on behalf of the government to sign off on the largest ever National Heritage listing on land in the West Kimberley. What we have done there has been consistent with a long legacy of environmental protection, whether it be going back to the Franklin River, Kakadu National Park or the Daintree Rainforest. In the Kimberley with the National Heritage listing we have some of the most spectacular parts of our continent: the Buccaneer Archipelago, with some of the highest tides in the world—there were 11-metre tides on the day I was there—where waterfalls are formed between the islands simply at the change of tide each day; the magnificent gorges in that great pathway along the Gibb River Road; and the Mighty Fitzroy River. For 200 kilometres, stretching alongside that West Kimberley coast, we have the most extraordinary trail of dinosaur footprints. We have an internationally regarded, extraordinary trail of dinosaur footprints which go to a level of heritage not found elsewhere on the continent.

There are great stories of Indigenous cultural heritage: as well as the battle at Noonkanbah Station and Jandamarra, we also have the extraordinary story there of Fossil Downs Station and the pastoral industry, the largest overland droving expedition in the history of the nation. Unsurprisingly, when environmental outcomes of this nature are happening, they met with an objection from the Liberal premier. Forgetting that this originated from an agreement with the WA government—that was how it all started—we had objections from the Liberal premier claiming that we were going to jeopardise petrol stations, towns, camps, rubbish tips and bottle shops with a heritage listing. I make clear, in case the WA government has not caught up with it, that no garbage tips and no bottle shops or petrol stations were heritage listed. But some of the most extraordinary and special parts of Australian history and Australia's heritage formed part of that heritage listing.

A heritage listing of itself is not a lockup—it does not mean that development cannot occur. But it does mean that, when development does occur, it has to take account of the values which have formed part of that listing. Across the 19 million hectares of the West Kimberley there are values which should properly be borne in mind in any future development applications. It does mean that the aspirations of some, including the WA Premier, who have talked about Broome becoming a future Dubai, will not see wholesale development throughout the Kimberley. It does mean that the area will not be wrecked. It does mean that the Kimberley will not—and the WA Premier has suggested that this would be a good thing—end up looking like the Pilbara. But it does mean that, within the West Kimberley, the values that should be protected will be protected.

Just as when we protected the Franklin, the Liberals opposed it; just as when we protected Kakadu, the Liberals opposed it; just as when we protected the Daintree Rainforest, the Liberals opposed it; so, too, when we protect the West Kimberley, the Liberal premier opposes it. When the Libs win, the pathway is the same: the environment always loses. Whether you are looking at the national parks at the moment, where they are trying to turn them into cattle farms or turn the river red gum forests into places that are simply there for the collection of firewood, the pathway is the same. Good environmental outcomes only come when government is on the Labor side of the House.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.