Media
Release
Tenure Outcomes must have
support of
Mona Mona Traditional Owners and Residents
Friday
13 March 2009
The Cairns and
Far North Environment Centre (CAFNEC) supports an outcome for the Mona
Mona community which respects the priorities of the traditional owners
and other Aboriginal residents of Mona Mona. CAFNEC supports renewed
negotiation with the land’s traditional owners to determine future
conservation outcomes for the Mona Mona area.
In order to be viable for the longer term, CAFNEC’s view is that
conservation outcomes for our region benefit from community support,
including the support of the traditional owners of the lands for which
conservation tenures and other management arrangements are being
considered by government.
For those places where there are also historical Aboriginal interests,
it is a matter for the Aboriginal peoples concerned to decide on
Aboriginal representation and priorities for the relevant negotiations.
The times where government can engineer an expedient outcome without
negotiating an informed agreement with community to resolve tenure and
related issues lie in the past.
CAFNEC calls on all parties contesting the upcoming State Election 2009
to commit to entering into a renewed negotiation process for resolving
outstanding tenure issues at Mona Mona as soon as possible following
the incoming Queensland Government’s appointment.
For more information please contact:
Steve Ryan CAFNEC, 0425 344 746
