Media release – Aboriginal Land Council of Tasmania, 22 June 2022
Upper House reserve disallowance expands scrutiny on land return snub as ALCT meets the Premier on kooparoona niara National Park proposal
A Legislative Council motion to ‘disallow’ low-grade reserve proclamations in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (TWWHA) will extend Parliamentary debate on the Government’s failure to honour the Aboriginal community’s claim to land in what would be a first for lutruwita/Tasmania, an Aboriginal-owned national park. Last week, a motion to the same effect was tabled in the House of Assembly.
On the day ALCT representatives will first meet with Premier Rockliff, independent member for Nelson Meg Webb MLC will table the motion, forcing debate on why the Aboriginal Land Council’s claim, recommendation 12 of the Le report, and UNESCO’s request for national park reserve status are all being ignored via the low-grade reserve proclamations.
“This is a first for lutruwita,” said Rebecca Digney, Manager of ALCT. “Not only do we have formal disallowance and debate on the Government’s snub of our land claim, we have it happening in both houses of Parliament.”
“The Premier should not be allowed to simply ignore and dismiss a land claim for Unallocated Crown Land that is before Parliament for a tenure change.
“This is land that was never ceded. The only new tenure that is fair and just is a return to Aboriginal ownership. If the Premier is not prepared to deliver on his own Government’s promise to prioritise the return of land, he should publicly explain why.
The ‘disallowance motion’ halts the automatic gazettal of the low-grade reserves and forces Parliamentary debate. ALCT first made the land claim in early 2021 in response to an invitation in past-Premier Peter Gutwein’s State of the State address.
“We will ask Premier Rockliff to proactively withdraw these reserve proclamations and instruct departmental staff to begin the process needed to establish an Aboriginal-owned national park tenure. If not, why not and if not now, when?
ALCT will write to all members of Parliament seeking their support for the kooparoona niara National Park concept and thanks Ms Webb for acting on its behalf.
