Advance Cairns and the Cairns Chamber of Commerce will advocate for the formation of an alliance of organisations to work with and lobby the State Government about the impacts and opportunities that Wild Rivers Legislation and the proposed World Heritage Listing of the Cape York will have on the communities in the area.

The move follows earlier concerns raised by Advance Cairns, and a presentation by well-known Indigenous spokesman, Noel Pearson, at this week’s Cairns Chamber monthly luncheon. Mr Pearson shared his views on the Wild Rivers Legislation with 185 members of the Cairns business community, and highlighted the importance that land tenure and access play in the social reform agenda for Cape York communities. He made a particular point that in third world countries, no development takes place without individuals owning private land and having all the freedoms that freehold land brings with it.

In response to Mr Pearson’s presentation, Cairns Chamber of Commerce president, Jeremy Blockey, said that now was the time for an alliance of organisations to work together to present a clear message of the expectations of the region and to provide factual information on the real impacts and opportunities for Cape York. “We have no argument that parts of Cape York have significant environmental attributes and are worthy of being protected,” Mr Blockey said. “However, there are also significant areas of land that do not have these values.”

“Of more importance though, is holding on to the concept of sustainability, and that means looking at the economic and social values, and not just the environmental ones,” Mr Blockey said. “For too long now the environmental movement has tried to make environment synonymous with sustainability – it’s time to move on, and get on with the business of finding solutions that suit a broader range of stakeholders.”

Mr Blockey said that the Cairns Chamber of Commerce has been liaising with various stakeholder groups to bring about a strong sense of regional cooperation so TNQ gets a solution that suits it rather than simply bureaucrats in Brisbane and Canberra.

Advance Cairns chairman Russell Beer reiterated, “As I said in an earlier press release, “we need to talk”. These issues impact on our region, and the needs of those who represent all of those affected need to be sought, heard and considered. If that is done I am very hopeful that an outcome will be reached which works for all sectors.”

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