World Heritage decision set for today or tomorrow

The Federal and Tasmanian Labor Government’s decision to nominate a further 172,000 hectares of Tasmania for world heritage could be decided today or tomorrow said Guy Barnett, state Liberal candidate for Lyons today.

“If more of Tasmania is to be locked up in world heritage this coming week then we will know that both the Federal and Tasmanian Labor governments with the urging of its Green co-conspirators will have acted without the consultation or consent of the Tasmanian people.

The World Heritage Committee is still being lobbied by federal and Tasmanian government representatives and at least 7 green group delegates from Tasmania to overturn the draft Committee decision to block the listing.

The draft decision to refuse the listing at this time was because of a lack of consultation.

There is plenty of consultation happening in secret in Cambodia but both governments refuse to discuss the proposed listing in Tasmania, even refusing to provide detailed maps of the site.

The rushed and flawed nomination process was confirmed in the report of one of the two key advisory bodies to the World Heritage Committee which recommended against the nomination proceeding.

“This report is both hugely significant and a damning indictment on both the Federal and State Labor Governments.

“The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) report to the World Heritage Committee recommended the nomination be ‘referred back’ to the Australian Government because there was no consultation whatsoever with the Tasmanian Aboriginal community”, Mr Barnett said.
Guy Barnett