FITZROY RIVER MANAGEMENT
PLAN
743. Hon RICK MAZZA to the Minister for Regional Development:
I refer to the Fitzroy River water
allocation and management plan.
(1) When will
consultation for the Fitzroy River water allocation and management plan
recommence?
(2) When will a draft
management plan be released for public comment?
Hon
ALANNAH MacTIERNAN replied:
I thank the member for the
question.
(1)–(2) In
April this year we announced a pause in the consultation to allow the
Aboriginal community and other stakeholders to give their full attention to the
COVID-19 response. It was also very difficult for our people to move down
because of the internal barriers within the Kimberley. We are now starting to
see some of the Aboriginal communities and other stakeholders wanting to resume
consultation, so, when invited, we are beginning to re-engage with the Fitzroy
River stakeholders. Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development staff are in Fitzroy Crossing
today meeting with Aboriginal stakeholders to advance the Fitzroy River
management plan. Also, DPIRD will consult on key elements of the management
plan that ties all the government's election commitments together in
the coming months. Release of a full draft management plan will be reliant on
the outcomes of this engagement.