INDIGENOUS anger over the controversial wild rivers legislation and the potential World Heritage listing of Cape York continues with former Australian of the Year Tania Major challenging the Government to come clean.
Ms Major, who is in Cairns for the Pacific Islands Forum, yesterday claimed she had parts of a letter that she says was secretly sent by Premier Anna Bligh to the Wilderness Society regarding issues, including World Heritage listing and other "controversial" issues on the Cape and the marginal electorate of Cook.
"All we are calling for is the opportunity to see the letter. The community on the ground is concerned about the outcome of wild rivers and the effects of it as we are being affected by this legislation," Ms Major said.
"All I am requesting is some transparency and that information is not kept behind closed doors."
Ms Major said the indigenous community was also concerned that powerful lobby groups such as the Wilderness Society had the ear of Government while the "little people" did not.
"Wild rivers is just one backroom deal after another," she said.
Ms Major said she was at a loss to explain how the proposed bauxite project near Aurukun had been excluded from the legislation.
Despite this, yesterday Ms Major admitted that had full consultation with the people of the Cape taken place on wild rivers, which restricts development in many watersheds, then it probably would have been accepted by traditional owners.
Cook MP Jason O'Brien said he had no idea if the letter existed but if it did it would be readily available under the Freedom of Information Act.
"But either way there is nothing secret about our agenda as we have taken wild rivers to three elections and supported World Heritage in at least two," Mr O'Brien said.
