some of the famous cape york sand dunes. In the distance one can see one of the sand mining operations...

The director of the Cape York Institute says paid lobbyists have influenced the Queensland Government's Wild Rivers legislation in the state's far north.

The claim comes as a poll shows most voters believe cronyism is widespread in Queensland.

Noel Pearson says the environmental legislation favours mining companies and prevents Indigenous communities from developing their land.

Mr Pearson's told the ABC's Insiders program he thinks lobbyists have too much power.

"No matter how many submissions we make through the democratic process our submissions are not listened to," he said.

"So our problem with Wild Rivers is just a symptom of the power of lobby groups in Brisbane.

"The key issue here is whether paid lobbyists ought to be slinking around corridors, opening doors like pimps at a Fortitude Valley brothel."

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see story above.

from the independent

Thousand of protesters took to the streets, waving the orange flags of the opposition. Before long, looting began. Buildings were set on fire. But the turning point came when a crowd moved from the main square towards the presidential palace. Amid the confusion, someone panicked and gave the order to the troops guarding the palace to open fire. Scores died. The leaders of the army decided they'd had enough and stormed the palace, causing the president to flee.

A typical African coup d'état? Not quite. Certainly there were allegations of corruption in high places. The president had bought a private jet – from a member of the Disney family – for his own personal use. He was accused of unnecessary extravagance, of mismanaging public funds and confusing the interests of the state with his own. But something else had whipped up the protesters in Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar, earlier this year, when the government of Marc Ravalomanana was overthrown in the former French colony.

The urban poor were angry at the price of food, which had been high since the massive rise in global prices of wheat and rice the year before. Food-price rises hit the poor worse than the rest of us because they spend up to two-thirds of their income on food. But what whipped them into action was news of a deal the government had recently signed with a giant Korean multinational, Daewoo, leasing 1.3 million hectares of farmland – an area almost half the size of Belgium and about half of all arable land on the island – to the foreign company for 99 years. Daewoo had announced plans to grow maize and palm oil there – and send all the harvests back to South Korea.

Terms of the deal had not originally been made public. But then the news leaked, via the Financial Times in London, that the firm had paid nothing for the lease. Daewoo had promised to improve the island's infrastructure in support of its investment

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See story at top...

From the ABC

The head of a Queensland-based mining company says he is "bemused" by American environmental crusader Erin Brockovich's comments about its mining efforts in Cape York.

Miss Brockovich, who was portrayed by Julia Roberts in a self-titled movie, is supporting a campaign to stop Cape Alumina from mining an area, known by some as Steve's Place, after the late 'crocodile hunter' Steve Irwin.

Cape Alumina had permission to mine part of the land before the Irwins bought the property in 2006.

www.giveusago.com

On the intro comment below the first picture I state:

See — you, people of the world — the land where the wild rivers are is Aboriginal land... Thus under the "Wild Rivers" legislation, Aboriginal people are highly (totally, apart from taking a sip) restricted (Noel Person has used the word "buggered" in the past) in their use of the rivers — "wild" rivers that have been under Aboriginal care for thousand of years, but now appropriated by a legislation that by default robs then of Aboriginal future.

But should a big multi-national mining company come along, the legislation can do nothing about it. Thus, to me, this “Wild River” Legislation is RACIST, may not be by intent, but by default...

So How come I can say this with a straight face when investigative journalists who ask the department reponsible of "Wild Rivers" get the categoric answer that the legislation is with no "exception"...?

Well the problem lies in the various department and ministries. Cleverly, each department is responsible for its own relevant legislation and I believe that there are, of course, complex legalese legislations that conflict between Queensland departments and ministries — smartly designed to do so. So "conservation" legislation may not apply for example to the department of mining and resources or whatever they call it... See my drift?.

But apart from these elegant loopholes, the future of Aboriginal developement is thwarted by this "Wild Rivers" legislation. They can take care of the rivers. They want to take care of the rivers — on their own Aboriginal terms. We owe them to do so.

from Peter Holmes a Court

DEAR Roberta, thank you for welcoming my sons, Robert and George, and myself, and for allowing us to share a day in your life at Mapoon community on western Cape York.

You asked for my opinion on what I had witnessed that day when three well-meaning officers of the Queensland Department of Natural Resources stood in the partial shade of the late-morning sun to "consult with the community". As I told you then, I am worried for you and your children and their children, and future generations.

I was there because my friend Noel Pearson had told me of his fears that new legislation titled Wild Rivers that had been introduced by the Queensland government threatened the future of all indigenous people in the state because it laid out clear obstacles to development projects that could be embraced by your people in the future.

Had it been anyone but Noel, I would have treated it with suspicion, but on his request I decided to take the opportunity to show my 10-year-old boys around the cape and work out for myself what was the real situation.

At the meeting in Mapoon, in your calm and dignified manner, you explained why you distrusted authority: the government, mining companies and, generally speaking, whitefellas from thousands of miles away coming to tell you about your land.

When I grew up I was taught a bit about children being removed from their families and placed in missions. Today we call that the Stolen Generation. It too was well-meaning legislation at the time, but ultimately time has shown it to have been immoral and regrettable behaviour.

I wasn't taught that in 1963, to make way for mining, your people were removed by police carrying firearms, placed on a boat and taken to land that was not yours. I didn't know that police were sent back to take down the church and burn every house to prevent you all returning.

These were not things I had learned about in school. They sounded like acts of the 19th century, not the second half of the 20th century. I didn't know a few brave folk started to rebuild Mapoon from 1974 and that today it is still very much a work in progress. However, the story I heard on my one day in your town was sad enough, and I had no idea of your history. I heard the voices of the men and women who had gathered with their concerns.

First they were told by the government delegation that nothing in the legislation would impact on their ability to hunt and gather in a traditional way. I could have been knocked over with a feather. Did I really hear someone come and tell a sophisticated Aboriginal audience that they can continue to be natives?

I was sitting with elderly people who had not had much schooling, but whose children were graduating Year 12 and attending university, who are thinking about small businesses, home ownership, mature-age heath issues; and the well-meaning young lady from the city just said that they could continue to hunt and gather.

Leaving aside that those traditional rights are completely secure in federal law and international treaties, if I had not heard it with my own ears I would have not believed it. I have spoken to many people up here and they all desire what people in any part of Australia covet: the chance to buy their own home and have good schools for their kids, opportunities for employment and a chance to go fishing on theweekend.

I didn't meet any "wild people", I met Australians who are making a go of it in very tough conditions. At Coen I met and moved cattle with Alan Creek, a black stockman who reminded me of RM Williams when I met him on RM's block shortly before he died. Like RM, he is a multiskilled cattleman, capable of fixing any machine, building any structure, a bush vet, handy doctor, boss to young men, horseman and carer of the land. A proud Aboriginal man who just needs to build a few more dams -- nothing major, just to hold water when rivers flood -- to work his land better and make a business for him and his Year 12-educated and hard-working son.

Then we travelled across the cape to Lockhart River where the opinions of the town council were articulate, intelligent and clearly against what they know is a repeat of history, people from "down south" telling them how they should live their lives. Lockhart mayor Rodney Accoom is clearly frustrated at government intervention and is not afraid to make his feelings known.

Rodney directed us to the work being done by a non-indigenous man, Rod Miller, who has embarked on an ambitious project to produce marketable quantities of a bio-fuel from pongamia trees or, as they are known, "diesel trees".

When we dropped in on his operation, the seven young Aboriginal men doing the planting were unlike any young Aboriginal men I have ever met. They had a glint in their eye, they stood up straight and talked quickly and enthusiastically; they quickly told jokes. And they spoke passionately about what it meant to get up out of bed with a job to do (and a bloody hard job at that) and what it means for their future prospects.

Rod and his business partner Clare Blackman are just doing what you see in the rest of Australia: pursuing a dream of a new business, boot-strapping a new enterprise. They may get enough investment to grow this into a substantial business, a great, green business that will change the lives of hundreds of people up in this part of the world. Their road to making their business a success will be hard but Rod is experienced in business and Clare has significant academic credentials. They have good seed capital, they have signed agreements, they speak the language of the councils and of their lawyers. And if they make it work, it may be one of the greatest business success stories I have seen.

What I said at the meeting -- on the invitation of William Bush, an elder from your community -- is that no one has answered the most important question, the why. Why does the government consider it necessary to put additional laws over the lives of struggling communities to preserve rivers that have been protected by Aboriginal people for centuries? Why the rush to put through legislation when there are no known threats; and certainly none from Aboriginal people?

The bitter irony makes my blood run hot; because your people have looked after the rivers and this area so well they now need to be taken further out of your control to be protected.

The twists of history have meant that foreign mining companies have made Cape York the largest source of aluminium in the world and secured for their shareholders billions of dollars in profits. These profits have protected the retirement savings of millions of people and the wealth has been well spread; many people have been employed and land regenerated.

Yet your people, the very people who live in the shadow of the tailing ponds, the people who were removed from their lands to allow this development, have not seen the benefits. And now, as we heard together, your future rights are going to be forever impinged by new rules, red tape and layers of bureaucracy. Frankly, I have never witnessed anything so sad.

What is the government protecting these rivers from? What is the perceived danger? I conclude by saying, Roberta, that listening to your story left me speechless. Any of my friends will tell you that I'm not often in that state.

I would not have been capable of showing your poise and careful articulation had the positions and circumstances been reversed. I am humbled by the dignity which you displayed, and how much inspiration I gained from my brief meeting with you.

Our political leaders talk of "closing the gap" between black and white Australia. I am proud to live in a timewhere closing the gap is now acommonly held goal of Australiansociety.

You have helped clear my thoughts on this and other issues, and that is why I will stand beside you in your efforts to overcome this unnecessary legislation that is immoral in its application over your people.

Best wishes, Peter Holmes a Court.

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I chose to show in full the letter written by Peter Holmes a Court on this very important issue... Read the comment below the pictures...

Communities near the proposed Traveston Crossing Dam are rejoicing after Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett announced he would not let the controversial project go ahead.

Mr Garret says the project, near Gympie in south-east Queensland, cannot go ahead because of risks to the environment.

David Patten, who helped lead the dam protest, says he has been in tears and is struggling to come to terms with the Federal Government's decision.

"I'm still having trouble understanding or believing that he said no," Mr Patten said.

"It was the decision that had to be made - all the scientific evidence said no - the engineering of it said no from day one. You don't build a bloody dam in a saucer."

Queensland Nationals Senator Barnaby Joyce says Mr Garrett's decision is a great relief to the people of the Mary River and the Sunshine Coast.

...

"It has been absolutely obnoxious the way that [Queensland Premier] Anna Bligh has carried on, the way she has held these people to ransom.

------------------------

Having heard from my mates in Queensland, it appears that the lady (Anna Bligh) is feared like Idi Amin was in Uganda. Jo BJK was a choirboy compared to this high priestess of bulldozing anything — and the name Bligh resonates trhoughout the land like that of a certain captain whose crew mutineered. It appears that Peter Garrett mutineered from the top... Good on him. See stories above...

Some of Australia leading business people have come together to campaign to eliminate Indigenous disadvantage and poverty, but just how the campaign will work is unclear.

The Generation One movement is the brainchild of West Australia mining entrepreneur Andrew Forrest who last year launched a scheme to find jobs for 50,000 Aborigines.

He was joined this morning by the likes of businessman James Packer and Ryan Stokes, Opposition leader Tony Abbott and Government Minister Tanya Plibersek for a campaign briefing.

"It's not about bureacracy. It's not about oh look rich people can do more, poor people should be getting off their backsides or Governments should be out there. It is about every single Australian knowing the disparity doesn't have to continue." Mr Forrest said.

Former Young Australian of the Year Tania Major has also agreed to join the movement.

"We do not have a plan. I mean we have plans for more job opportunities, more mentoring and education opportunties but we don't really have a set plan to say this is the problem and this is how we're going to fix it," she said.

Mr Forrest says he wants to sign up 25,000 Australians to support his cause.

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Gus: good one. Grass root "chaotic" system of motivation often works better than structured dogma...

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In her usual bile against greenies, Ms Devine gets cleverly lost in the wilderness...

Here she goes:

We can see their handiwork across the country, and they've barely warmed up. It's not just the unbuilt dams, or the green tape preventing proper fire management of bushland. In Cape York, the "sleazy deal", as Noel Pearson calls it, between the Queensland government and the Wilderness Society to take over Aboriginal land as part of the so-called "Wild Rivers" deal, threatens indigenous people's fledgling economic base for no environmental benefit. Pearson says the greens want to keep them in passive welfare dependency, only now "the welfare cheque will be on recycled paper".

On the other side of the country, the Kimberley Land Council's executive director, Wayne Bergmann, accuses the green movement of treating indigenous people like "museum pieces" and attempting to sabotage their pursuit of economic development.

The tyrannical tactics of various eco-socialist groups, which often combine to play good cop/bad cop in relentless pursuit of a goal, are unopposed by a lily-livered, increasingly complicit corporate Australia.

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Gus: There is only one "tyranical eco-socialist" group. Actually it's a fascist group... It's the Wilderness Society that presently is imploding due to challenge, by the majority of members, to its "tyranical" leadership. The WS support was needed for the Bligh Government of Queensland to be re-elected and this ended in the disastrous and unfair "Wild River" Cape York legislation that shafted the Aboriginal people of the cape... See my article at top.

A nasty split has developed among the indigenous people of Cape York over Tony Abbott's plan to overturn the Queensland government's Wild Rivers Act.

Mr Abbott, acting on the advice of Noel Pearson, his friend and Cape York indigenous leader, will attempt to overturn the act from opposition using a private member's bill.

It will be a test of the new parliamentary arrangements with Mr Abbott needing the support of two of the Labor-leaning independents in the House of Representatives to be successful.

The Wild Rivers Act was passed by Queensland's Labor government in 2005. It limits development along pristine river systems to preserve them.

There are now 10 river systems protected by the act, including the Lockhart, Archer and Stewart rivers.

Mr Pearson and Mr Abbott argue that local indigenous people have lost control of their land and are unable to exploit the economic opportunities. They blame the environmentalist movement which drove the legislation.

But Murrandoo Yanner, of the Carpentaria Land Council, has joined calls from other indigenous leaders from the Cape and Gulf country to contend that Mr Pearson does not speak for them.

Mr Yanner backed a letter sent to the independent MP Rob Oakeshott on Tuesday by David Claudie, of the Chuulangun Aboriginal Corporation, warning of ''unrestrained development'' should the act be overturned.

Mr Yanner said the act did not preclude locals from hunting and fishing and nor did it stop development. It just meant that there would have to be better environmental safeguards.

He noted there were negotiations afoot in the Wild Rivers area for the Lagoon Creek uranium mine on Westmoreland Station. ''You can develop anything provided you spend the extra money on the safeguards and so you bloody should,'' he told the Herald. Mr Yanner said Mr Pearson was a hypocrite who was ''leading whitefellas astray''.

http://www.smh.com.au/national/indigenous-fight-over-wild-rivers-likely-to-turn-ugly-20100922-15n1a.html

Indigenous leader Noel Pearson says a new report by the Anglican Church proves the Queensland Government is wrong about the economic impact of its wild rivers laws.

The study released today has found the controversial legislation stifles development and erodes Indigenous rights in Cape York.

Federal opposition leader Tony Abbott says he will introduce a private members bill to overturn the Queensland laws.

Mr Pearson has urged MPs to read the report before voting on the bill.

"We now have an umpire who's come in and produced an objective and comprehensive analysis in the form of Spiritus, the social justice agency of the Anglican Church," he said.

Anglican Dean of Brisbane Peter Catt says the State Government did not obtain the consent of Indigenous landholders before making the declarations.

"Decades have been spent giving Indigenous people rights to land and now we're taking away the right to use their land for any good purpose," he said.

-.......

Meanwhile, Indigenous leaders and traditional owners at odds with Mr Pearson's position are in Canberra today to lobby against Mr Abbott's plan to disband the Wild Rivers Act.

The group includes Murrandoo Yanner from the Carpentaria Land Council.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/09/29/3024909.htm?section=justin

The Federal Government has commissioned a wide-ranging parliamentary inquiry into Queensland's controversial Wild Rivers legislation.

The Government says it will wait until the inquiry releases its findings before deciding whether to support Opposition Leader Tony Abbott's private members bill to override the state laws, which place development limits near 10 Cape York river systems.

Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin says Mr Abbott's bill will be considered as part of the House of Representatives inquiry.

"There is an acknowledgment that there are issues that have to be examined, and that just putting a piece of legislation into the parliament as Tony Abbott intends to do won't resolve the matters," Ms Macklin said.

"Really what we need is an opportunity to examine these issues carefully."

Ms Macklin will not say what the Commonwealth's position is.

"What we want to do is make sure we can have a proper inquiry to investigate these issues," she said.

A delegation of Indigenous leaders and Cape York traditional owners has been in Canberra lobbying against Mr Abbott's plan.

They have welcomed the federal inquiry, but they are at odds with Cape York Indigenous leader Noel Pearson, who has attacked the state law as heralding a "new wave of colonialism".

He says with a Senate inquiry already completed, another one is unnecessary.

"Jenny Macklin rang me yesterday and told me of their intention and I said, 'Jenny, this sounds to me that you are putting this off to the never-never', and she tried to assure me that was not the Government's intention," Mr Pearson said.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/10/01/3026814.htm

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Gus: one should know that Noel Peason supports the Liberals (conservatives) in this country, unreservedly... And any genuine attempt to sort the issue by federal Labor will be seen as crap no matter what the result.

Noel should realise that Macklin is not a puppet of Rudd nor a crew member of "captain" Bligh's ship... I know, patience is running thin, but patience and cooperation will do more for Noel than more or less insulting a person who is prepared to look at the value of all the arguments and ready to find a working compromise.

Premier Anna Bligh has accused Opposition Leader Tony Abbott of playing politics by introducing his private member's bill to Federal Parliament to roll back Queensland's controversial Wild Rivers legislation.

The Queensland laws restrict development along river systems in the state that are deemed to have significant environmental value.

Mr Abbott has been foreshadowing the move for months and last week visited several Indigenous communities in the north of the state to hold consultations.

Local leaders, such as Noel Pearson, strongly back Mr Abbott's move but others, such as Murrandoo Yanner, do not agree with his stance.

Mr Abbott says the laws ignore Indigenous rights and local communities must give consent before their land is locked up.

"We do not want Aboriginal people living in remote areas to be confined forever to welfare villages," he said.

"Part of the benefit of living in Australia is you normally have reasonable rights to economically develop your lands and these rights have in effect been taken away."

Bit Ms Bligh says Mr Abbott is playing politics.

"Some things frankly should be above politics," she said.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/11/15/3066469.htm?section=justin

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Gus: read story at top and also here...

Graziers, traditional owners and environment groups in western Queensland have formed a loose alliance to pressure Queensland Opposition Leader Campbell Newman to commit to the state's wild rivers laws.

The laws have faced fierce resistance on Cape York from Aboriginal leader Noel Pearson, but further south and west, the protection of the Cooper Creek, Georgina and Diamantina Rivers has been welcomed by traditional owner Scott Gorringe.

Mr Gorringe has partnered with graziers and environmentalists to fight to keep the wild rivers laws which have been attacked by senior conservatives, including Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-15/-new-alliance-to-pressure-newman-on-wild-rivers-laws/3831026

There is no doubt he has had loyal and constant support from some quarters. He has had the high-level promotion and loyalty of Lew Griffiths over two decades. Griffiths, erstwhile cameraman for television, now full-time media adviser for the Cape York Partnerships, has had the right media savvy and connections to promote this young educated Aboriginal man. Pearson emerged as the greater hope ahead of all comers in the 1990s. And there has been a formidable crop of Aboriginal graduates nationally, contemporaries of Pearson. Graduates at least as qualified, if not more so, in Western and in Aboriginal terms.

...

In this way Pearson can be seen as a product of the times, a "great man" invented by white interests including government, who simultaneously rises to prominence over the time when the very same white interests sponsor hollow public spectacles such as the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation in the post-Bicentennial era.

And even worse than this, Native Title legislation that delivers little overall to Aboriginal Australia, merely protecting the rights of pastoralists and miners to land; the retrograde abolition of ATSIC and, the implementation of that genocidal abomination, the Northern Territory intervention, occurs in this period as well.

One thing is clear: this great success in "middle Australia" has come with its costs for Pearson, who demonstrates signs of high stress -- short temper, abusive language and behaviours, acute weight gain, critical illness -- to name those that are obvious to the public eye.

Some of us who have been engaged in Aboriginal affairs over decades have seen it all too many times before. So-called great Aboriginal leaders created, only to be summarily demolished one way or another.

It is a dangerous place to be, an Aboriginal person in settler colonial Australia where lives are destroyed at a whim. A disappointed and disillusioned white Australia bays for blood.

I can't help but wish him a dignified survival and a safe landing. He is after all, one of us. History may not be so kind.

*Victoria Grieves is of Warraimay and Tasmanian descent. She is currently ARC Indigenous Research Fellow at the University of Sydney developing her second ARC project "More than Family History: Race, Gender and the Aboriginal Family in Australian History". She is also developing a book of the contextualised writings of the Aboriginal journalist John Newfong with countryman Adrian Atkins, has published academic works and has written for the National Indigenous Times.

http://www.thepowerindex.com.au/power-fail/the-rise-and-fall-of-pearson-a-product-of-the-times/201208301704

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Indigenous leaders are at odds over the Queensland Government's decision to stop funding the Cape York welfare reform trial.

Indigenous Affairs Minister Glen Elmes says the program has not delivered significant gains despite the investment of more than $100 million of state and federal funding since it began in July 2008.

The trial included withholding welfare payments to improve school attendance and reduce violence in the communities of Aurukun, Hope Vale, Coen and Mossman Gorge.

Indigenous leader Noel Pearson spearheaded the program and has criticised the Government's decision to pull its funding.

Mr Pearson says hard-fought gains could be lost.

"If (the Minister) thought that one outcome would be to close the NAPLAN achievement gap in three years, that's obviously absurd to expect that," Mr Pearson said.

"On a lot of indicators, as the evaluation shows, the numbers are heading very fundamentally in the right direction.

"We've not mounted the summit of Mount Everest yet, but base camp is way behind us and we're climbing upwards."

Aurukun Mayor Derek Walpo says the trial has made a big difference in his shire.

"School attendances are good, kids are healthier, parents are well-groomed, kids are well-groomed, their fridge and their cupboards are always stocked with food," he said.

"Most of these people that are on basic cards - to be honest most the people don't want to come off that basic card now because of the achievements that they see."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-03-27/decision-to-cut-cape-york-welfare-trial-absurd/4597378

See story at top and all other stories below it... Vale Lew Griffiths who dies in his sleep, only aged 55... Our thoughts are with his family and friends... See story above.

THE WILDERNESS of the Cape York Peninsula is one of Australia’s most precious.

One of the last wild places on earth it is a biodiversity hotspot, home to undisturbed tropical forests, wetlands and over 300 species of endemic flora and fauna. The Cape is also a region of rich Indigenous culture and heritage, spanning over 40,000 years.

Cape York is also one of the most economically disadvantaged areas of Australia, particularly those of the First Peoples, whose living standards are far below national averages.

Roughly two-thirds of the Cape identify as Indigenous.

A history of dispossession, forced removal from their lands, struggle for land rights, and the lack of economic and educational opportunities have contributed to the serious Indigenous disadvantage which exists in the Cape today.

Cape York is in urgent need of new measures to generate employment and improve living standards.

Currently, the Cape’s economy is focused on three industries — mining, agriculture, and small scale tourism. While both sides of government agree that a regional economic development plan is needed to grow the economy, there are clashing views over the extent of industrialisation, environmental protection and Traditional Owner consultation that will take place. While the government speaks of the need to diversify economic activity in the region, development plans seem to be focused on opening up areas to further mining and intensive agriculture.

Conservationists have long argued the case for a World Heritage listing for the Cape.

read more: http://www.independentaustralia.net/environment/environment-display/exploiting-the-cape-york-wilderness-a-delicate-balance,6446

See story at top and all other stories below it...

QUEENSLAND’S Wild Rivers legislation has been declared invalid in Cape York, ending a five-year struggle by indigenous groups to preserve the right to pursue economic opportunities in the region.

A Federal Court judge yesterday ruled that a Queensland minister erred in law five years ago in declaring three rivers on the cape as “wild”.

The main objection of indigenous groups was that the legislation stopped potential economic development of the region in far north Queensland by “locking up” the rivers and the areas around them. They claimed the previous state Labor government had undertaken the Wild Rivers plan to win green preferences in city seats it needed to retain power.

The Federal Court decision centred on the Bligh government’s action in declaring the Archer, Lockhart and Stewart rivers on Cape York as wild rivers on April 3, 2009, only weeks after the state election that saw the ALP government returned.

Federal Court judge Andrew Greenwood found yesterday that the decision was made too quickly and without enough consideration of the views of the traditional owners.

“The decision to make the declarations was a function of urgently delivering on an election promise ... the declarations got ahead of the formulation of the material addressing the preconditions upon which the exercise of the power rested,” he wrote in his judgment...

from: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/state-politics/cape-yorks-wild-rivers-victory/story-e6frgczx-1226958084736

See story at top and be aware that the way The Australian writes this story is more to do with "sinking" Labor and also promote the "go north" policy of a certain rabid Mr Abbott... Thus I would actually warn Aboriginal people that their fight is not over yet as mining companies are likely to come and invade their space, destroying the wildlife in the process... I will say well done but be vigilant...

The iconic 1976 Land Rights Act is under attack like never before under the Abbott Government, writes former Fraser Liberal Government Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Ian Viner AO QC (viaNorthern Land Council – Northern Edition).

WITH the Commonwealth Government’s push for 99-year leases, the Forrest Review’s call forAboriginal land to be privatised so as to be bought and sold, and attacks upon the Northern Land Council in particular over their defence of traditional ownership and their responsibilities under the Land Rights Act, the iconic 1976 Land Rights Act is under threat like never before.

The whole framework and security of traditional Aboriginal land, protected by theLand Rights Act, is in danger of being subverted by Governments, bureaucracies and people who have no real understanding or sympathy for traditional communal land ownership.

99-year town leases turn traditional ownership upside down.

In reality, they put the Commonwealth back into ownership and control of traditional Aboriginal land like it was before the Land Rights Act was passed as if Aboriginal land had returned to reserve status under Commonwealth control.

No one can really imagine that in 99 years time the Commonwealth will, or could, return to the people absolute ownership of traditional land that had been alienated by these 99-year leases.

A Commonwealth Head Lease is a device by the Commonwealth to take control of Aboriginal land away from traditional owners. It is thoroughly misleading for the Commonwealth to suggest giving the Office of Township Leasing a 99-year lease of Aboriginal land is the same as 99-year leases in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT).

The ACT leases Crown land to people instead of granting freehold ownership. Aboriginal traditional owners already have freehold title — the best form of ownership in Australia.

There is good reason to think the Commonwealth devised 99-year leases and the Office of Township Leasing as the head lessee as a way to avoid having to compensate Aboriginal people on just terms under the Constitution for taking control of their traditional lands.

Read more: http://www.independentaustralia.net/australia/australia-display/abbott-and-forrests-assault-on-indigenous-land-rights,7052

Aboriginal leaders and advocates are warning the "chaos and dysfunction" caused by closing down remote Indigenous communities will cost the West Australian Government far more than addressing existing issues.

Premier Colin Barnett has acknowledged his decision to shut about half the state's 274 remote communities will cause distress to the more than 12,000 Aboriginal people living there and cause problems in the towns they move to.

However, he said existing high rates of suicide, poor health and a lack of jobs could not be ignored.

He has also labelled the "abuse and neglect of young children" a disgrace for the state.

The former head of the Kimberley Land Council, Wayne Bergmann, believed it was not good enough for the Premier to simply acknowledge the turmoil and social dysfunction closing communities would create.

He said it would end up costing the taxpayer a lot more to address those consequences.

"Some people will move into towns and you'll get more overcrowding in towns, you'll get more congestion in housing and probably social disruption," Mr Bergmann said.

"Some senior people won't want to leave their homes, because this is their homes, they've lived on country, lived in houses all their life.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-13/closing-remote-aboriginal-communities-cause-chaos-leaders-say/5889278

Gus: "closing" Aboriginal communities is akin to robbery by stealth... even if "cash" incentives are offered...

Aboriginal communities in South Australia could face closure if the Federal Government ceases its funding, the State Government has warned.

Western Australian Premier Colin Barnett has announced the state will close 100 to 150 of the 274 remote communities in WA, as it would not be able to fill the void left by the Federal Government's decision to stop funding power, water and other services beyond the next two years.

South Australian Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation Ian Hunter has warned communities in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands may suffer the same fate if the Federal Government chooses to "walk away" from its responsibilities.

"They've been doing it for 50 years and now they've come to me and said 'look we're going to give you $10 million to take it over forever' and that's just an outrageous proposition," Mr Hunter said.

read more: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-14/sa-indigenous-communities-could-close-without-federal-funding/5890808