Opposition remain in the wilderness

30/10/03
The State Opposition's wilderness position statement shows clearly why the Coalition is likely to remain in the political wilderness, Environment Minister Judy Edwards said today.
On the one hand the Opposition position paper recognises the essential ingredients of a wilderness:

• 'wilderness is essentially left alone so that natural processes can occur almost totally free of human disturbance...';
• 'providing authentic wilderness experiences free of permanent human structures and disturbance..'; and
• 'the absence of roads is a basic condition of wilderness areas..'

However, the paper then advocates putting firebreaks, roads, campsites and 'other built features' throughout wilderness areas and opening them to off-road four-wheel drive traffic as well.
The Opposition paper espouses the natural heritage value of wilderness areas and then says they are 'a very restrictive form of land use' and implies wilderness areas should be open for mining. ('The mining industry believes that, although some environmental impact is an inevitable consequence of most mining and mineral exploration activities, the actual effects on the land are very small'.)
"The Opposition's position on wilderness areas remains a mystery," Dr Edwards said.
"While acknowledging some of the essential values of a wilderness the Opposition then wishes to destroy those values. The Opposition accuses the Government of 'locking away' wilderness areas while they propose to give them away by destroying what makes them wilderness areas in the first place. This is a 'Claytons' wilderness policy.
"However, the recently released Government draft wilderness policy ensures wilderness areas are properly identified, gazetted and managed. It ensures we protect our unique environment for future generations by maintaining the very qualities that define what is a wilderness.
"Our policy is to retain wilderness areas to meet international standards.
"The Opposition's criteria for wilderness areas is to mine them, carve roads through them, put buildings and campsites through them and allow off-road traffic through them.
"How does this retain their wilderness values?"
Minister's office: 9220 5050