TASMANIAN WORLD HERITAGE NOMINATION SHOULD BE WITHDRAWN

By Guy Barnett
Tuesday 21 May 2013

“One of the two key advisory bodies to the World Heritage Committee have recommended against the Federal Labor Government’s nomination proceeding, said Guy Barnett, former Senator and Launceston lawyer today.

“This report is both hugely significant and a damning indictment on the Federal Labor Government. It should force the withdrawal of its submission to avoid both local and international embarrassment.

“The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) report to the World Heritage Committee has recommended that the Federal Labor Government’s submission that an extra 172,500 hectares be added to the Tasmanian World Heritage area be ‘referred back’ to the Australian Government. ICOMOS said in its report that the Australian Government did not address the cultural values of the area in its submission and recommended that the Australian Government undertake ‘further study and consultation with the Tasmanian Aboriginal community’.

“Clearly the Federal Labor Government has not done its homework. There has been no consultation whatsoever with the Tasmanian Aboriginal community and the process has been rushed, Mr Barnett said.

“Interestingly ICOMOS noted that the Australian Government had acknowledged ‘cultural values require further study and consultation with the Aboriginal community’. So the Labor Government has confessed to this breach of process but has still not consulted. All this is happening behind closed doors without consultation or the consent of the Tasmanian public.

“The Report also notes that ‘the current minor boundary modification is of considerable size…’ providing more evidence that the Federal Labor Government was trying to rush the process by submitting a ‘minor modification to the boundaries’ rather than submitting a fresh nomination for the 172,500 hectares. This area is more than 12% of the existing World Heritage area and is quite possibly the largest ‘minor modification’ ever submitted to the World Heritage Committee, said Mr Barnett.

“There is no doubt the Federal Government’s attempt to lock up more of Tasmania in world heritage is flawed. Not only was there no consultation with the Tasmanian Aboriginal community but there was no consultation with other members of the public and in particular the private land owners and farmers directly affected. The Government has abused the process and they have been caught out by one of the World Heritage Committees own advisory bodies.

“If the extension of this World Heritage Area was to proceed it would have direct impact on farmers and private land owners whose property is adjacent to the boundary. It will clearly diminish the value of their land and there has been no offer of compensation.

“In a further revelation the report by the IUCN (advisory body to the World Heritage Committee) notes that the Australian Government has forwarded detailed maps of the area nominated but these same maps have been denied to Tasmanian legislators, the TFGA and the public. This report confirms the Federal Government is involved in a shocking abuse of process and denial of natural justice if not acting in breach of the law. Since studying Australia’s world heritage nomination, listing and management procedures I have not known of such a serious breach.

“In a further major development it would appear that the Tasmanian Forestry Agreement legislation has excised some 35,000 hectares from the area nominated for world heritage due to the successful amendment by Hon Greg Hall MLC. This amendment was accepted by the Tasmanian State Labor/Green Government and passed through both Houses of State Parliament. This is another reason the Federal Governments submission for more of Tasmania to be locked up in world heritage should be withdrawn. It seems the federal and state governments are now at odds,” concluded Mr Barnett.

Download: ICOMOS 2013 Addendum, Evaluations of Nomination of Cultural and Mixed Properties to the World Heritage List – pages 6 and 7

IUCN Addendum, IUCN Evaluations of Nominations of Natural and Mixed Properties to the World Heritage List

whc13-37com-8B1infAdd-en.6-7_.pdf

whc13-37com-8B2inf-Add-en.pdf
Guy Barnett