***REISSUED***
Today I tabled a petition to retain the Arthur Pieman Conservation Area, the Western Tasmanian Cultural Landscape and State Reserves as public areas for the whole community.
Over 2,000 petitioners support the Arthur Pieman Conservation Area being managed in a way that focuses on continued public access inclusive of the entire community with an emphasis on education, recreational activities and public participation.
The Hodgman majority Liberal Government want to see more land returned to Tasmanian Aboriginal people, this is a crucial element of the Hodgman Liberal Government’s Reset Agenda. However we want to improve how this is done and recognise the desire that some communities want to retain shared public areas.
The petition I tabled today once again highlights the need for improving the legislative framework for returning land to Aboriginal communities.
That is why the Government has recently released the Consultation and Stakeholder Feedback Report: Improving the model for returning land to Aboriginal communities.
The responses and comments of this initial consultation will now inform a Draft Report making recommendations to improve the model for returning land.