Ms LAWRIE - 2004-02-26
The Daly Region is a wonderful part of the Top End. It is fantastic for living, recreation, fishing and tourism. Will you please update the House on the work the Community Reference Group is preparing for a land use plan for the region?
ANSWER
I would be delighted to, Madam Speaker. A very important …
Members interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: It is interesting, because the issues being dealt with by government, working with the community and interested stakeholders in the Daly, is absolutely critical for the Territory’s future. It is disappointing to have the opposition snigger like they do at the question. I was very disappointed.
I was delighted to appoint a Community Reference Group last year. They are tasked under the chair of a man with impeccable credentials for this, Rick Farley, to put together a land use plan for the Daly region that will support the future sustainability of that very important region for the Territory.
It is an issue that we all know has generated considerable controversy over many years, whether that is about land clearing, or the water levels in the Daly, and what will happen to fishing in the future. There are many issues, including whether cotton is grown there - and we have said no. In terms of the Territory’s future development, many of the issues have been encapsulated in the Daly region. The important issues that this Community Reference Group have to deal with range from finding a balance between economic development, social, cultural, indigenous, environmental and recreational, so it is, in one region, dealing with some of the critical issues for the Territory’s future.
The Community Reference Group consists of a very wide range of stakeholders from the region, including the indigenous land-holders, pastoralists, horticulturists and local residents, as well as representatives from peak associations, including AFANT, the Minerals Council, Katherine Regional Tourist Association, the NLC, ATSIC, local government, the Environment Centre and NT Land Care Council. If anyone has not been included, other interested parties and associations are free to contribute to the work of the reference group.
The reference group, under the chair, Rick Farley, have met twice, the last time was a week ago in Katherine, where 45 people attended. One of the issues that they had to deal was a very difficult one, and that is water allocation planning. Over the next few months, they will systematically deal with some of those difficult issues in the Daly Region. They are working closely with the Charles Darwin University, using local skills and research expertise. The reference group have commissioned studies from Charles Darwin University on a number of different issues they are working on.
Rick Farley tells me that within the reference group there is a wide range of views, not surprisingly. He was very straightforward when he first took on the job. He said:
Rick says it is happening with a lot of goodwill, and I commend the reference group on that, that they are working hard on finding that balance. I am sure everyone in this House wishes them well, with their very important deliberations for the future of this region, because it really is about keeping the Territory moving ahead: working through the issues like this, and finding a way forward. It is government listening and working with Territorians.
ANSWER
I would be delighted to, Madam Speaker. A very important …
Members interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: It is interesting, because the issues being dealt with by government, working with the community and interested stakeholders in the Daly, is absolutely critical for the Territory’s future. It is disappointing to have the opposition snigger like they do at the question. I was very disappointed.
I was delighted to appoint a Community Reference Group last year. They are tasked under the chair of a man with impeccable credentials for this, Rick Farley, to put together a land use plan for the Daly region that will support the future sustainability of that very important region for the Territory.
It is an issue that we all know has generated considerable controversy over many years, whether that is about land clearing, or the water levels in the Daly, and what will happen to fishing in the future. There are many issues, including whether cotton is grown there - and we have said no. In terms of the Territory’s future development, many of the issues have been encapsulated in the Daly region. The important issues that this Community Reference Group have to deal with range from finding a balance between economic development, social, cultural, indigenous, environmental and recreational, so it is, in one region, dealing with some of the critical issues for the Territory’s future.
The Community Reference Group consists of a very wide range of stakeholders from the region, including the indigenous land-holders, pastoralists, horticulturists and local residents, as well as representatives from peak associations, including AFANT, the Minerals Council, Katherine Regional Tourist Association, the NLC, ATSIC, local government, the Environment Centre and NT Land Care Council. If anyone has not been included, other interested parties and associations are free to contribute to the work of the reference group.
The reference group, under the chair, Rick Farley, have met twice, the last time was a week ago in Katherine, where 45 people attended. One of the issues that they had to deal was a very difficult one, and that is water allocation planning. Over the next few months, they will systematically deal with some of those difficult issues in the Daly Region. They are working closely with the Charles Darwin University, using local skills and research expertise. The reference group have commissioned studies from Charles Darwin University on a number of different issues they are working on.
Rick Farley tells me that within the reference group there is a wide range of views, not surprisingly. He was very straightforward when he first took on the job. He said:
- There will be a wide range of views, and what we have to make very clear through this process is we have to make effective recommendations for government.
- Government will be making a decision, quite properly, about the future of the Daly region, and that is what this Community Reference Group has to do: work through the variety of interests, work through some of those competing interests, and come up with a land use plan for the future.
Rick says it is happening with a lot of goodwill, and I commend the reference group on that, that they are working hard on finding that balance. I am sure everyone in this House wishes them well, with their very important deliberations for the future of this region, because it really is about keeping the Territory moving ahead: working through the issues like this, and finding a way forward. It is government listening and working with Territorians.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016