Media Release – kooparoona niara National Park Proposal

Independent Member for Nelson Meg Webb today tabled a motion to disallow the Liberal State Government’s draft proclamation seeking to place in minor reserve status Crown Land, covered by the Aboriginal Land Council Tasmania’s formal claim for a kooparoona niara National Park.

“After consulting with the Aboriginal Land Council Tasmania (ACLT)  I have formally moved to disallow the proposed low-grade reserve status for these areas of Crown Land, to encourage a re-evaluation and reprioritisation by government of its commitment to genuine reconciliation including the return of land,” Ms Webb said.

“Despite all the talk, Tasmania’s last land hand-back to its original owners occurred in 2005. We need to be prioritising such redress instead of treating it as an after-thought.

“Delaying this proclamation provides the government time to consider properly the ALCT’s formal land claim for a kooparoona niara National Park, and also deliver Tasmania’s inaugural Aboriginal Protected Area as recommended by Professors Warner and McCormack in their Pathway to Treaty report delivered to government last year.”

Background:

• Recommendation 12 of the Pathway to Truth-Telling and Treaty Report 2021 states:
• Recommendation 12: Creation of the kooparoona niara Aboriginal Protected Area
• Together with the enabling legislation, the first Aboriginal Protected Area, the kooparoona niara Aboriginal Protected Area in the Western Tiers including the Future Potential Production Forest Land (FPPFL) on the boundary of the TWWHA should be declared. This first Aboriginal Protected Area could serve as a model and would serve as a test of local management and access.
• Proposed proclamations under the Nature Conservation Act 2002 require approval by each House of the Parliament to come into effect.
• Text of Disallowance Motion tabled by Meg Webb MLC, Wednesday 22 June 2022:

Ms Webb has moved:

• That a draft proclamation made under Section 11(2) of the Nature Conservation Act 2002, dated 18 May 2022 and laid upon the Table of the Council on 2 June 2022 and which draft proclamation declares area of Crown land specified in Parts 1 to 11 of Schedule 1 to the draft proclamation to be reserved land, be disallowed in accordance with the provisions of s.18(3) of the Nature Conservation Act 2002.
• That a draft proclamation made under Section 11(2) of the Nature Conservation Act 2002, dated 26 May 2022 and laid upon the Table of the Council on 2 June 2022 and which draft proclamation declares areas of Crown land specified in Parts 1 to 10 of Schedule 1 to the draft proclamation to be reserved land, be disallowed in accordance with the provisions of s.18(3) of the Nature Conservation Act 2002.

Media Contact: A.Mark Thomas, M&M Communications, 0422 006 732