ProWest News – Indigenous groups deserve proper consultation on marine parks
The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) has done it again, with another major slip in the consultation process for the proposed South Coast Marine Park, where it has now failed to appropriately consider the creation of shared economic opportunities for the indigenous people who have a close association with the coastline.
Not only does this fail to address the serious socio-economic impacts of sanctuary zones, it also falls well short of genuine engagement.
WAFIC has been upfront from the very start of the consultation process in standing up for the right of indigenous people to be properly engaged, not only throughout the planning and development phases, but also for future park management.
However, DBCA has a different way of managing, or side-lining, some of these important stakeholders, and by the time the Indigenous Protected Areas Management Plan and Healthy Country Plans were completed for the Buccaneer Archipelago (we were advised these plans were paid and supported by the US eco-lobbyists, the Pew Charitable Trust), WAFIC was then informed there would be no further engagement. Is history repeating itself?
Read the full story in today’s ProWest.