Traditional owners of lands in central Queensland have called on the state’s Natural Resources Minister to consult with them before moving ahead with changes to the management of the state’s rivers.

 

The Georgina Diamantina Cooper Aboriginal Group says Minister Andrew Cripps is yet to speak to them about the rights and uses of water resources and river systems.

The traditional owners say they do not wish to halt mining projects in the area, but do want to ensure there are adequate measures in place to protect local heritage and natural resources.

The chairman of the Georgina Diamantina Cooper Aboriginal Group, Gerry Fogarty, says: “They're the three last natural river systems probably not only in Australia but in the world and we don't want them to happen to other river systems like mining and irrigation and those things we don't want in the river system or the flood plains... we've got a few concerns about it.”

Minister Cripps will be in Longreach today to give the panel his assessment of potential frameworks for management of the western Queensland rivers.