FOR MEDIA 16 NOVEMBER 1990
JOINT STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER AND THE
QUEENSLAND PREMIER, WAYNE GOSS
The three year campaign to protect Queensland's Wet
Tropics World Heritage area culminated today in the
signing of an agreement giving formal status to the
management scheme for the Wet Tropics World Heritage
Area. Following the election in Queensland in December last
year we moved quickly to ensure the proper management and
conservation of the area.
We met in north Queensland in early March and exchanged
letters of intent which affirmed the two Governments'
cooperative approach to funding and management of this
internationally significant area.
Following this historic agreement a management scheme for
the Wet Tropics was negotiated and established.
The signing of the joint Commonwealth-State management
arrangement today puts into effect a comprehensive scheme
which ensures the protection and management of the area
and ensures Australia maintains its international
obligations under the World Heritage Convention.
Because of the high level of cooperation, the Wet Tropics
Ministerial Council and the Wet Tropics Management
Authority had already been established and held their
first meetings.
Under the Wet Tropics Agreement, both Governments are
committed to ongoing funding on a matching basis.
A total of $ 11 million has been provided for management
of the World Heritage Area by the Commonwealth and
Queensland Governments this year.
The agreement also commits the Queensland Government to
the introduction of legislation to enable its
implementation. The Wet Tropics Management Agency, charged with managing
the area, will be established under new Queensland
legislation and consist of approximately 10 professional
coordination and planning staff.
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Queensland will be responsible for the day-to-day and
on-ground management operations within the area.
Queensland is in the unique position of having adjacent
World Heritage Areas the Wet Tropics and the Great
Barrier Reef and we are keen to see the two management
authorities work together to present and protect these
internationally significant and unique environmental
sites.