CHAIR (Mr Craig Thomson) —I declare open this second public hearing of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics for the inquiry into issues affecting Indigenous economic development in Queensland, including issues surrounding Queensland’s Wild Rivers Act 2005. That act aims to ‘preserve the natural values of rivers that have all or almost all of their natural values intact’, but not undermine sustainable Indigenous economic development in the Cape York region or other parts of Queensland.

In addition to examining the broader questions of Indigenous economic development, the committee has also been asked to examine the impacts that the recently introduced Wild Rivers (Environmental Management) Bill 2010 would have if passed. The bill provides that the development or use of native title land in a wild river area cannot be regulated under the Wild Rivers Act 2005 Queensland without the agreement of the landowner in writing.

Today we will hear from representatives from a range of stakeholders on this issue. Before I introduce witnesses, I refer members of the media who may be monitoring the hearing of the need to fairly and accurately report the proceedings of the committee.

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