http://www.rossfitzgerald.com/2010/03/full-of-humour-honesty-and-hope/ Historian, author, and columnist with The Australian newspaper Thu, 09 Feb 2012 06:27:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.rossfitzgerald.com/2010/03/full-of-humour-honesty-and-hope/comment-page-1/#comment-2741 Paul Inches Sun, 04 Apr 2010 03:23:21 +0000 http://www.rossfitzgerald.com/?p=493#comment-2741 I was heartened and encouraged by the 27/3 article as someone, other than the Aboriginal population of Cape York and elsewhere, had finally hit the nail on the head regarding the diminution of Aboriginal land rights by the Queensland Government and others. As background, I was Senior Policy Advisor to the Queensland Minister for Natural Resources & Mines, the Hon. Stephen Robertson MP, from January 2001 to January 2005, with responsibility for the Mining & Petroleum industries, Native Title and Cape York. I was the Minister's representative in the negotiations dealing with the Cape York Heads of Agreement which, as you are probably aware, attempted to reach a settlement between the Cape York pastoralists, the Aborigines and the environment movement over the use of land on Cape York. The development of the Wild Rivers legislation was kept secret from me until approx. 10 days prior to the 2004 election. When I became aware of it, I sent an e-mail to the State Development Minister, the Premier's Office, my Minister and the Environment Minister's Office, stating "the declaration of the WR legislation will condemn the Aboriginal population of Cape York to a lifetime of welfare dependency and penury, endanger the expansion of the Weipa alumina refinery and the development of the Aurukun bauxite deposit". I am willing to discuss this matter in further detail, as I believe it is a travesty. Regards, Paul Inches I was heartened and encouraged by the 27/3 article as someone, other than the Aboriginal population of Cape York and elsewhere, had finally hit the nail on the head regarding the diminution of Aboriginal land rights by the Queensland Government and others. As background, I was Senior Policy Advisor to the Queensland Minister for Natural Resources & Mines, the Hon. Stephen Robertson MP, from January 2001 to January 2005, with responsibility for the Mining & Petroleum industries, Native Title and Cape York. I was the Minister’s representative in the negotiations dealing with the Cape York Heads of Agreement which, as you are probably aware, attempted to reach a settlement between the Cape York pastoralists, the Aborigines and the environment movement over the use of land on Cape York. The development of the Wild Rivers legislation was kept secret from me until approx. 10 days prior to the 2004 election. When I became aware of it, I sent an e-mail to the State Development Minister, the Premier’s Office, my Minister and the Environment Minister’s Office, stating “the declaration of the WR legislation will condemn the Aboriginal population of Cape York to a lifetime of welfare dependency and penury, endanger the expansion of the Weipa alumina refinery and the development of the Aurukun bauxite deposit”. I am willing to discuss this matter in further detail, as I believe it is a travesty. Regards, Paul Inches

]]>