Revolt on Cape York over wild rivers

Angry Cape York leaders have threatened to ban outsiders from their land if the
Queensland government doesn't wind back its controversial wild rivers policy.
The threat came as prominent indigenous leader Noel Pearson announced he'll step
down from the welfare reform think-tank he established, the Cape York Institute, to
join the fight.
Mr Pearson, who will hold a press conference on Thursday to explain his reasons, was
not among a group of Cape York Land Council members who told reporters on Wednesday
of their anger over the proposed law changes.
Council chairman Michael Ross said traditional owners had been misled by the Bligh
government and communities would establish a "barricade" and stop working with
non-indigenous Australians if the government wouldn't work with them.
"At first they said one river, now there are 13 rivers - the whole Cape is under
wild rivers, every stream, every lagoon, every spring is a wild river," he said.
"When do we say back off, sit down and talk? If you don't want to talk, get out of
my country."
Premier Anna Bligh on Friday announced the Archer, Lockhart and Stewart rivers had
been gazetted as "wild rivers" - which precludes development within 1km of their
banks to protect biodiversity.
The announcement, welcomed by environmental groups, brought the number of gazetted
wild rivers in the region to nine.
Traditional owner Richie Ah Mat said the decision would stop economic development in
Cape York and entrench welfare dependence for another generation of indigenous
residents.
"Nobody has listened to the black fellas, we are the lowest common denominator in
Cape York," he said.
"A lot of the communities have aspirations, they want to build their own farms, they
want to grow vegies.
"This restricts that. This restricts employment, business and economic development
for Aboriginal people."
Another indigenous elder Daniel de Busch labelled the policy "economic apartheid".
"That's what's going to stop our younger generation from finding jobs in the near
future, the economic apartheid system set up by the Bligh government," he said.
He believed residents would defy the legislation if the government would not repeal it.
"We will use our rivers ... nobody is going to stop us, we are the legal custodians
of our land," he said.