❓ Mr Grylls (Pilbara) congratulates the Minister for Environment on the release of the North Kimberley Marine Park plan. The Minister details the park's size, significance, cultural heritage focus, and its place within a larger conservation strategy, highlighting the government's commitment and investment.
AnsweredQoN 47Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
NORTH
KIMBERLEY MARINE PARK
47. Mr B.J. GRYLLS to the Minister for
Environment:
I understand that this week marks
another important achievement in the Liberal–National government's
protection of the pristine Kimberley marine environment, with the release of
the plan for the north Kimberley marine park. Can the minister please update
the house about the benefits to be delivered by this plan? And well done.
KIMBERLEY MARINE PARK
47. Mr B.J. GRYLLS to the Minister for
Environment:
I understand that this week marks
another important achievement in the Liberal–National government's
protection of the pristine Kimberley marine environment, with the release of
the plan for the north Kimberley marine park. Can the minister please update
the house about the benefits to be delivered by this plan? And well done.
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Pilbara for
the question. We had the opportunity earlier this week to release the
indicative management plan for the north Kimberley marine park. That is the
final of the five indicative management plans that we are releasing as part of
our Kimberley science and conservation strategy. It will be the largest single
marine park that this state government, or indeed any prior state government in
Western Australia, has created. This marine park covers an area of 1 800 square
kilometres. It will be seven times the size of the World Heritage–listed
Ningaloo Marine Park. In fact, the creation of this one marine park represents a
70 per cent increase in the conservation marine estate of Western Australia—just
by the creation of this one marine park.
Mr
C.J. Tallentire interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Gosnells!
Mr
A.P. JACOB : Importantly, member for Gosnells, this will be the second
largest marine park in Australia. However, what makes this one particularly
special is that it will abut the terrestrial park that this government will
create over Mitchell Plateau. That will create an interconnected conservation
estate that includes the intertidal area, important coral reefs, and, of
course, that important terrestrial site in the north west Kimberley.
This is also an area that is very
rich in Aboriginal culture. I am glad to hear the member for Gosnells has
already had a glance at the indicative management plan. I encourage him to look
at some of the other zonings that are in the plan as well, which place a very
heavy focus on Aboriginal cultural heritage zonings within this new marine
park. Some of the most significant Aboriginal cultural history, going back
thousands to tens of thousands of years, is found in this part of the Kimberley.
As we would expect for a marine park that picks up some of the most important
Aboriginal cultural history, this marine park also involves significant
Aboriginal participation in terms of on-country management and, of course,
making sure that we open up tourism opportunities for traditional owners. This
is a milestone towards what will be the greater Kimberley marine park, which
will stretch from Camden Sound to Horizontal Falls, all the way through to the
Northern Territory border. This follows the creation of the Camden Sound Marine
Park and the Eighty Mile Beach Marine Park, and the release late last year of
the Roebuck Bay indicative management plan and in December last year of the
Horizontal Falls marine park.
Mr
C.J. Tallentire interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Gosnells!
Mr
A.P. JACOB : There is so much, I have to be careful—I do not want to
go on too long describing just how many marine parks we have created. I will
take criticism from the other side. But the ultimate question is: if they could
have done it, why did they not do it? This government has put the focus on it.
Not only are we creating these parks, but these are fully funded. This is the
largest single investment in the conservation park expansion in this state, if
not in Australia, and I am so proud to be a part of a government that continues
to meet this commitment.
the question. We had the opportunity earlier this week to release the
indicative management plan for the north Kimberley marine park. That is the
final of the five indicative management plans that we are releasing as part of
our Kimberley science and conservation strategy. It will be the largest single
marine park that this state government, or indeed any prior state government in
Western Australia, has created. This marine park covers an area of 1 800 square
kilometres. It will be seven times the size of the World Heritage–listed
Ningaloo Marine Park. In fact, the creation of this one marine park represents a
70 per cent increase in the conservation marine estate of Western Australia—just
by the creation of this one marine park.
Mr
C.J. Tallentire interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Gosnells!
Mr
A.P. JACOB : Importantly, member for Gosnells, this will be the second
largest marine park in Australia. However, what makes this one particularly
special is that it will abut the terrestrial park that this government will
create over Mitchell Plateau. That will create an interconnected conservation
estate that includes the intertidal area, important coral reefs, and, of
course, that important terrestrial site in the north west Kimberley.
This is also an area that is very
rich in Aboriginal culture. I am glad to hear the member for Gosnells has
already had a glance at the indicative management plan. I encourage him to look
at some of the other zonings that are in the plan as well, which place a very
heavy focus on Aboriginal cultural heritage zonings within this new marine
park. Some of the most significant Aboriginal cultural history, going back
thousands to tens of thousands of years, is found in this part of the Kimberley.
As we would expect for a marine park that picks up some of the most important
Aboriginal cultural history, this marine park also involves significant
Aboriginal participation in terms of on-country management and, of course,
making sure that we open up tourism opportunities for traditional owners. This
is a milestone towards what will be the greater Kimberley marine park, which
will stretch from Camden Sound to Horizontal Falls, all the way through to the
Northern Territory border. This follows the creation of the Camden Sound Marine
Park and the Eighty Mile Beach Marine Park, and the release late last year of
the Roebuck Bay indicative management plan and in December last year of the
Horizontal Falls marine park.
Mr
C.J. Tallentire interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Gosnells!
Mr
A.P. JACOB : There is so much, I have to be careful—I do not want to
go on too long describing just how many marine parks we have created. I will
take criticism from the other side. But the ultimate question is: if they could
have done it, why did they not do it? This government has put the focus on it.
Not only are we creating these parks, but these are fully funded. This is the
largest single investment in the conservation park expansion in this state, if
not in Australia, and I am so proud to be a part of a government that continues
to meet this commitment.
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