Community
27 November, 2022
Illegal logging prosecution to care for Country
EASTERN Kuku-Yalanji Traditional Owners support the successful prosecution of illegal logging within their Country in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area (the Area) and want government support to help traditional owners return to life on Country to manage their native title lands better.
This month, a small Townsville-based logging company, QLD Logging Pty Ltd, pled guilty to unlawfully felling 28 trees and clearing vegetation for access tracks, at Shipton’s Flat near Rossville, within the Area.
On November 8, the company was sentenced in the Cairns Magistrates Court and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine. It was also ordered to pay the Department of Environment and Science (DES) $2,000 in court costs.
Michelle Friday, Chair of the Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation, said they are committed to protecting the land.
“Jabalbina fully supports the successful prosecution of people seeking to commit crimes on Eastern Yalanji Native Title land and the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area,” Ms Friday said.
“We are here to support Eastern Yalanji to Care for Country and not to exploit the country for individual gain.”
Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation is the Registered Native Title Body Holder (RNTBC), Jabalbina Yalanji Land Trust and Cultural Heritage Body for the Eastern Kuku Yalanji People.
The corporation is responsible for over 360,000 hectares of Country, managed on behalf of over 5,000 Eastern Yalanji People. Much of this Area is World Heritage listed, including the site that was illegally logged.
“We have been working closely with the Wet Tropics Management Authority (the Authority), the Local Governments and others to develop a management strategy for our Native Title lands. To do this, we need government assistance and funding,” General Manager of Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation (RNTBC) Joshua Paterson said.
“We need to support Traditional Owners in returning to their Country but to do so in a way that does not see these types of offences occurring.”
“A proper planning process could cost up to a million dollars,” Ms Friday said.
“While this might seem a lot of money, if we invest this now, we will avoid all the costs of future court cases, and this will support many future economic opportunities for Eastern Yalanji People living in the Area, as we can then start issuing leases for People to own the land,” she said.
