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"Expanding and enhancing the parks estate in Central Australia - one the of last pristine areas of the world - is one of the most exciting and significant boosts to the Northern Territory for years," CLC director David Ross said today.
Mr Ross was speaking as the Parks and Reserves (Framework for the Future) Bill was due to be passed in the Northern Territory Parliament.
"The CLC conducted numerous consultations with traditional landowners of parks and at the end of the day every group accepted the proposed deal," Mr Ross said.
This means that of the 27 parks included in the deal, 20 are in Central Australia .
"It is a tribute to the landowners that they had the foresight to make some tough compromises in the interests of seeing joint management become a reality," Mr Ross said.
"For the first time there will be public recognition of the cultural heritage of our parks and the crucial role that Aboriginal people play in managing country," he said.
"I urge parliamentarians of all stripes to back this. I assure the wider community that they have nothing to lose and everything to gain by embracing a balanced solution to a potentially complicated, costly and divisive situation in regard to outstanding land claims.
"This is a fair and equitable solution whereby Aboriginal people get a path forward through joint management, employment, cultural protection and in a few cases Aboriginal freehold title over land they have had under claim for years." said CLC director David Ross.
"The wider community will continue to enjoy parks with no fees or permits for entry and be able to be proud of a world class parks estate which will remain in the public domain for future generations."
"This will undoubtedly deliver some solid and enduring benefits to the tourism industry and conservation interests. Statistics tell us that a cultural experience is important to many visitors to Territory parks" he said.
"We are looking forward to getting to work on this arrangement and we will be putting extra effort into park related Aboriginal tourism initiatives and getting Aboriginal people out and working in parks as soon as possible," Mr Ross said.
16 February 2005
