5 June
2006 - Greg Hunt MP, Parliamentary Secretary with
ministerial responsibility for Kakadu National
Park, announced today that the Government would
be moving to incorporate 29 mining leases into
the park, adding some 466 hectares to the World
Heritage Area.
The move will ensure the effective
rehabilitation of abandoned uranium sites in Kakadu's
South Alligator River valley, following the Government's
Budget announcement of $7.3 million over the next
four years for this work.
“We are putting right a longstanding
problem dating back to the previous Government,”
Mr Hunt said.
“The Labor Government took the decision to incorporate
valid mining leases into Stage 3 of the park without
compensating the leaseholders – a decision subsequently
overturned by the High Court.
“As a result these areas in
the south of the park have been isolated islands
surrounded by national park, but not managed as
part of this World Heritage Area.
“This Government has reached
a satisfactory agreement with the leaseholders.
We will now incorporate the leases into Kakadu
National Park and rehabilitate them to a standard
befitting the park's World Heritage status.
“In the coming months, we will
be preparing the necessary documents to submit
to the Governor-General for proclamation of the
areas as part of the park.”
The old uranium sites date back
to the 1950s and 1960s, well before Kakadu became
a national park and decades before it was globally
recognised as a World Heritage Area for both its
cultural and natural values.
They include Guratba, more commonly
known as Coronation Hill, one of Northern Australia's
most sacred sites.
“Coronation Hill and other sites
have great cultural significance for the area's
traditional Aboriginal owners, who have warmly
welcomed the resolution of this longstanding issue,”
Mr Hunt said.
“The incorporation of the leases
and the funding for rehabilitation is a further
demonstration of the Government's commitment to
enhance the World Heritage values of this internationally
acclaimed national park.”
