❓ Mr. Hughes inquires about the Cook Labor government's Plan for Our Parks initiative, specifically regarding tourism opportunities, biodiversity conservation, and progress. The Minister responds by highlighting achievements, including the creation of Bunuba National Park and other conservation reserves, emphasizing benefits for conservation, Indigenous communities, and tourism.
AnsweredQoN 590Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PLAN FOR OUR PARKS
590. Mr M. HUGHES to the Minister for Environment:
I refer to the Cook Labor
government's Plan for Our Parks initiative, which will create five
million hectares of new national and marine parks in Western Australia.
(1) Can the
minister advise the house how this important initiative will create new tourism
opportunities and provide enhanced biodiversity conservation across the state?
(2) Can the
minister update the house on the delivery to date of this significant increase
to the state's conservation estate?
590. Mr M. HUGHES to the Minister for Environment:
I refer to the Cook Labor
government's Plan for Our Parks initiative, which will create five
million hectares of new national and marine parks in Western Australia.
(1) Can the
minister advise the house how this important initiative will create new tourism
opportunities and provide enhanced biodiversity conservation across the state?
(2) Can the
minister update the house on the delivery to date of this significant increase
to the state's conservation estate?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Kalamunda, a
member who is passionate about the environment and the beautiful hills
community that he represents. It is no wonder he asked this question today.
(1)–(2) This
is one of those issues, policies and commitments that our government is just
getting on with. It will be one of those legacy issues that we will look back
on and marvel at the achievement of this government in protecting the
environment. I can tell members that we have made significant progress in our
Plan for Our Parks.
I was recently in the Kimberley
electorate to announce the creation of the new Bunuba National Park in the Fitzroy River area. It covers an area of more
than 220 000 hectares of the stunning, amazing Kimberley landscape,
including the beautiful Fitzroy River. An area larger than metropolitan London
will be preserved and protected in perpetuity for all the community, including
the traditional owners. The creation of this park marks the halfway milestone
for Plan for Our Parks. Members might remember we committed to creating five
million hectares of new national parks and reserves over five years. Bunuba
gets us to 2.5 million hectares of land and sea now protected under this
initiative. Members would be aware that the major
legacy of this is that it increases the area covered by our parks and reserves
across Western Australia by 20 per cent. This is a significant increase
in what is protected across Western Australia. Over the last three months, we have also finalised additions to
Kennedy Range National Park and Pimbee National Park , created the Lake Moore Nature Reserve as well as
included 800 000 hectares of new conservation reserves at Matuwa Kurrara Kurrara, Lake Carnegie and
Little Sandy Desert. That was no small feat as it is an area bigger than
Bali. It comprises the largest area of exclusive possession land ever to be reserved
as part of a conservation agreement in Western Australia.
This is important work that protects
some of the state's most valuable natural assets, including wetlands,
rangelands, forests, marine areas and scores of threatened flora and fauna.
That has now been secured. But it is not just about conservation; this
initiative also provides the basis for a new era in working with traditional
owners. Plan for Our Parks provides transformative job opportunities, training
and career development for many Aboriginal people in all areas of land
management. There is also a considerable opportunity for the further
development of nature-based and cultural tourism attractions and facilities,
based on the remoteness, vast open spaces and spectacular scenery of where we
are creating these parks. Therefore, the environment is protected, but there is
also an economic story here for traditional owners to become proud of their
country and proud to protect it. It will create business and entrepreneurial
opportunities for traditional owners from remote communities.
A great deal of work is currently
going on in negotiating Indigenous land use agreements with traditional owners,
and I will have more to say on this later this year as we continue to open new
parks to protect more of Western Australia's unique and very valuable
natural landscape.
member who is passionate about the environment and the beautiful hills
community that he represents. It is no wonder he asked this question today.
(1)–(2) This
is one of those issues, policies and commitments that our government is just
getting on with. It will be one of those legacy issues that we will look back
on and marvel at the achievement of this government in protecting the
environment. I can tell members that we have made significant progress in our
Plan for Our Parks.
I was recently in the Kimberley
electorate to announce the creation of the new Bunuba National Park in the Fitzroy River area. It covers an area of more
than 220 000 hectares of the stunning, amazing Kimberley landscape,
including the beautiful Fitzroy River. An area larger than metropolitan London
will be preserved and protected in perpetuity for all the community, including
the traditional owners. The creation of this park marks the halfway milestone
for Plan for Our Parks. Members might remember we committed to creating five
million hectares of new national parks and reserves over five years. Bunuba
gets us to 2.5 million hectares of land and sea now protected under this
initiative. Members would be aware that the major
legacy of this is that it increases the area covered by our parks and reserves
across Western Australia by 20 per cent. This is a significant increase
in what is protected across Western Australia. Over the last three months, we have also finalised additions to
Kennedy Range National Park and Pimbee National Park , created the Lake Moore Nature Reserve as well as
included 800 000 hectares of new conservation reserves at Matuwa Kurrara Kurrara, Lake Carnegie and
Little Sandy Desert. That was no small feat as it is an area bigger than
Bali. It comprises the largest area of exclusive possession land ever to be reserved
as part of a conservation agreement in Western Australia.
This is important work that protects
some of the state's most valuable natural assets, including wetlands,
rangelands, forests, marine areas and scores of threatened flora and fauna.
That has now been secured. But it is not just about conservation; this
initiative also provides the basis for a new era in working with traditional
owners. Plan for Our Parks provides transformative job opportunities, training
and career development for many Aboriginal people in all areas of land
management. There is also a considerable opportunity for the further
development of nature-based and cultural tourism attractions and facilities,
based on the remoteness, vast open spaces and spectacular scenery of where we
are creating these parks. Therefore, the environment is protected, but there is
also an economic story here for traditional owners to become proud of their
country and proud to protect it. It will create business and entrepreneurial
opportunities for traditional owners from remote communities.
A great deal of work is currently
going on in negotiating Indigenous land use agreements with traditional owners,
and I will have more to say on this later this year as we continue to open new
parks to protect more of Western Australia's unique and very valuable
natural landscape.
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