National 3:32 pm AEST July 6 2000 Govt launches reconciliation action plan AAP -- The federal government today delivered its first reconciliation plan of action for Aboriginal leaders to assess. Environment Australia is the first bureaucratic body to develop such a plan, vowing to focus on indigenous issues in making departmental decisions. The Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation received the plan today as part of NAIDOC (National Aborigines Day Observance Committee) Week. It includes a plan to launch an Indigenous Advisory Committee and identifies five central themes for the coming year, with emphasis on the role of indigenous people in environmental laws. "It is now well understood that many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders have special knowledge that can help ensure the preservation and protection of our country's great biodiversity," parliamentary secretary for the environment and council member Sharman Stone said after launching the document. "As well, the economic independence and self determination of many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities depends on their continuing to be able to work to conserve their home countries." The council wants the community to consider the plan and develop their own strategies to help put words into action. Aboriginal leader Gatjil Djerrkura has agreed to chair the committee, which will advise the government on indigenous issues related to an overhaul of environmental laws being implemented on July 16. Last month mining giant Energy Resources Australia (ERA) was found to breach environmental standards by failing to report a tailings leak at its Ranger uranium mine at Kakadu. ERA acknowledged the upset it caused the land's traditional owners, with the government saying it would work on environmental standards to ensure no repeat of the spill. In particular, today's plan will centre on coordinating activities arising from the recommendations of a Kakadu Regional Social Impact Study in key areas of housing, infrastructure, education, health and employment. The plan will also implement management arrangements for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. And it will concentrate on ensuring career development for indigenous people. "Environment Australia (EA) works with indigenous Australians across the broad range of its activities," EA said in its plan fact sheet. "The agency's ability to bring together the themes of country, culture, traditional ecological knowledge and natural resource management provides a focus around which economic and social advantage can be addressed. "These interlinking themes are embedded in the way Environment Australia approaches management of the environment." -- ********************************** 'Click' to protect the rainforest: Make the Rainforest Site your homepage! http://www.therainforestsite.com/ ********************************** ------------------------------------------------------ RecOzNet2 has a page @ http://www.green.net.au/recoznet2 and is archived at http://www.mail-archive.com/ To unsubscribe from this list, mail [EMAIL PROTECTED], and in the body of the message, include the words: unsubscribe announce or click here mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20announce This posting is provided to the individual members of this group without permission from the copyright owner for purposes of criticism, comment, scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner, except for "fair use." RecOzNet2 is archived for members @ http://www.mail-archive.com/recoznet2%40paradigm4.com.au/
