MENTION Cape York and a vision of untouched expanses springs to mind, of lush rainforest and sandy, palm-fringed beaches, labyrinthine rivers, pristine waterfalls and wildlife-rich wetlands.

Battlelines are drawn over Cape York’s future... see below for four views on the debate.

While the major settlements are historic Cooktown and resource-rich Weipa, visit any of the numerous regional townships and you’ll find that people from all walks of life call Cape York home.

But this romantic setting has become a virtual battleground, the result of decisions being made in Brisbane and Canberra that people feel they have little ownership over, yet will have lasting impacts on their livelihoods and way of life.

The mining and resources sector could hold the key to closing the all-too evident socioeconomic gap but are indigenous landowners really getting a fair go, and at what environmental cost?

The besieged environmentalists want to protect the area’s natural beauty and biodiversity and promote sustainable enterprises, but are accused of locking up the area to economic growth.

Traditional owners have thousands of years’ connection with the land, embedded with Aboriginal lore, but their desire to play an active role in the 21st century is hampered by land tenure issues.

And the graziers, businesspeople and entrepreneurs of the Cape have their own connection to the land, but feel their efforts to build economic enterprise are hamstrung by endless red tape.

The complex Wild Rivers legislation was introduced in 2005 in a move to protect the integrity of significant waterways for generations to come and, at the time, was supported by many groups. But as last year’s inquiry showed, in reality it has served to, at the very least, fuel misunderstandings of what developments are allowed around river systems, and at most, effectively block them.

In the current view of indigenous groups and other landowners, it also makes a mockery of their commitment to, and knowledge of, the land that has been their home for generations.

The more recent move towards World Heritage listing areas of Cape York is designed to provide an internationally attractive, conservation-based tourism economy that still permits development.

However, a recent spate of mining proposals prompted The Wilderness Society to this week seek emergency National Heritage status for four areas on the Cape.

With the upcoming state election, political parties are making the Cape a policy platform – while Labor is set to stand firm on its commitment to Wild Rivers and World Heritage moves, the LNP has committed to return the power to the people.

So while the election may be set for the end of the wet season, it doesn’t seem like the storm clouds surrounding the future of Cape York will be clearing anytime soon.

Richie Ah Mat
Chairman, Cape York Land Council

Traditional owners recognise that there are some areas of Cape York which may be suitable for World Heritage listing, but strongly oppose moves towards a broad or blanket listing.
State Government desperation to meet election commitments to conservation groups has resulted in a hurried, flawed and insulting process diminishing the likelihood of a successful nomination.
Adding insult to injury, the Government has yet to address the injustice for landholder rights in Wild River declarations. It is disturbing that ministerial assurances of TO “consent” have not yet been reflected in government processes. Government officers spruik the virtues of World Heritage, but TOs must be told all the facts – good, bad and ugly. Only then will they have the knowledge and authority to make an informed decision. Studies show World Heritage has little impact on tourism and few economic benefits. There is a strong risk that the economic detriment of a permanent listing will far outweigh any benefits.
A World Heritage process must be based on sound science. Most areas of high conservation value on Cape York are already within, or in negotiation to become, national park, jointly managed with TOs. World Heritage listing would add little protection value.

Gavan McFadzean
The Wilderness Society’s Northern Australia campaigner, Cairns

Change is always unsettling but a new direction for Cape York is needed. For too long the Cape has suffered from uninspired and indecisive leadership. The result has been countless flip-flops on policy direction, poor land use decisions, high unemployment, low economic growth and living standards well below the national average.
The Cape’s strongest and most sellable assets are its outstanding natural and cultural values – situated on the eastern flank of the world’s largest tropical savannah, the Cape’s biodiversity is staggering. But it’s a fragile system under unprecedented threat from a wave of mining development, industrialisation, sea bed trawling, incorrect fire management and feral animals and weeds.
Our vision for Cape York is a conservation-based economy with a World Heritage Area at its core, complemented with viable, sustainable enterprises such as management of country, low impact grazing, eco- and culture-based tourism and fishing.
It’s an ambitious plan but it’s not beyond us – a conservation based economy to last not just the next 50 years of the mining boom but a sustainable roadmap for the 21st century.

Trish Butler
CEO, Cape York Sustainable Futures.

CYSF strives for a vibrant future balanced across people, community, environment and landscape.
A future with a diverse economy, stable employment and thriving private enterprise that includes agribusiness, tropical products, sustainable power generation and mining.
This is a social justice issue – the right of Cape York’s 18,000 residents to a productive future and enhanced liveability of their communities, the same as other Queenslanders, cannot be disregarded.
Cape York people not only love their land, they respect it. If they destroy it, they are destroying their own values and livelihoods. CYSF supports the conservation of the Cape’s natural and cultural values and considers this can be achieved with or without World Heritage listing.
The concerns with World Heritage listing are the potential for local people to lose their right to make decisions for their future, the additional approvals processes and potential land use constraints on economic development. Cape York is more than 10 times the size of World Heritage listed Kakadu, where mining is providing a livelihood and royalties to local people.
With appropriate environmental assessment and control, Cape York is large enough to accommodate both sustainable mining and world class conservation.

Michael Roche
Chief executive, Queensland Resources Council

Extreme environmentalists won’t be satisfied until the Far North is off-limits to all economic development. The Wilderness Society’s call for an “emergency” World Heritage listing to stop mining proposals for the western Cape shows arrogant disregard for the aspirations of Cape communities and the region.
Companies such as Rio Tinto Alcan have been operating on Cape York for more than 40 years and central to their success are close linkages with local communities and a shared respect for the environment.
The company is undertaking a thorough and transparent environmental impact assessment process to support its plans for the South of Embley project.
The Wilderness Society has refused all offers by the company to discuss the project. That says much about their attitude towards ecologically sustainable development, and in particular, ongoing employment opportunities for Cape communities.
Other companies, including a rejuvenated Cape Alumina, have identified new resources and are stepping up to the plate for local communities by committing to detailed and costly environmental scrutiny. Surrounded by the proceeds of economic development, it’s remarkable how carefree some city dwellers can be in declaring what’s best for fellow Queenslanders thousands of kilometres away.

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