Queensland’s Wild Rivers legislation was declared invalid in Cape York by an Australian Federal Court judge yesterday. 
The court decision focused on the previous Labor government’s declaration of the Archer, Lockhart and Stewart Rivers on April 3 2009 as an election promise to secure green preferences in inner city electorates.
Two years earlier Neil Hewett wrote at this blog that:
“The progress of the Cape York Conservation Agenda is carving a deepening rift between indigenous interests and those of metropolitan-based ‘green’ groups. Whilst the former lobbies for social engagement within real economies, the latter crusades for an often over-simplified notion of environmental protection. Over-arching this ideological tussle, government verily executes authority for the political rewards of popular support.”
Graham Young has described yesterday’s decision as a victory for indigenous progress.
Jennifer Marohasy BSc PhD is a critical thinker with expertise in the scientific method.
Inner-city greenies who were initially responsible for the wild rivers” legislation, consider areas like Cape York, home to 10,000 aborigines, should remain truly prehistoric and never enter the 21st century under any circumstances.
If only they would volunteer to change places.
Or if they would just volunteer to pay the court costs it would help.
With you Spangled.
They always want to reduce somebody else’s “footprint”.
The problem for all ideologues, they invariably think within a fixed circle of limited ideas, and even as a minority, are invariably convinced they are indubitably right, regardless of the evidence.
Not all that long ago, Tasmania decided they’d had enough of green policies, and locking away, vast tracts of their economic zone!
Locked away on less than credible evidence, that any part of the Tarkine, i.e., was pristine untouched wilderness.
Their arguments pertaining to the great barrier reef are even more flawed.
One can go to parts of the northern reaches of our continental shelf,i.e., and see methane boiling up at around a million cubic metres an hour.
And for as long as we’ve been plying the waters around the great barrier reef, there have been mystery oil slicks, that any oil prospector will tell you, indicate possibly huge oil reserves. As does some of the hydrocarbon consuming coral types?
As long as it is leaking naturally, into the environment, there’s and overwhelming case for tapping into both, to actually and massively reduce the total environmental harm, these currently uncontrolled releases are doing!
Just saying no to what doesn’t comply with the ideology, is hardly intelligent, or the most environmentally sound option, let alone the most economically savvy use of finite resources.
Yes sure, we should be researching and developing alternatives, particularly, algae based oil. Or rather, naturally occurring algae based diesel and jet fuel. some varieties are 60% oil, and under optimized conditions, double their bodyweight/oil production capacity every 24 hours.
During the height of the last drought, algae was the only thing truly flourishing, anywhere around the Murray/Darling!
Developing these alternatives will require considerable lead time and funds, both of which abound in our marine economic zone!
Oil companies employ expert contractors to fully develop their wells for them!
Pray tell, just what impediment prevents us from doing exactly the same?
Heritage listed, massive methane leaks perhaps? Or perhaps there’s an appetite for continuing to import costly foreign oil, that from wellhead to harvester, produces four times more carbon than that which virtually lays beneath our feet!
As lamb chop chewing Sam might say, you know it makes perfect sense!
Alan B.