Tasmanian Minister for Parks and Wildlife and Aboriginal Affairs, and Braddon MP Roger Jaensch says first nations people have and will continue to form part of the discussion around the Cradle Mountain Master Plan.
Mr Jaensch has reacted to claims by the Tasmanian Aboriginal Corporation that local indigenous people haven’t been consulted on the plan and the first they heard of a plan for a cable car from the visitor centre in Cradle Valley to Dove Lake, was during last week’s launch of the second stage of the plan, a new shelter and viewing centre at Dove Lake.
This is despite the master plan being public knowledge since its launch in March 2016, almost seven years ago.
Mr Jaensch says Tassmanian Aboriginal people have been involved in the development of interpretations both at the Dove Lake Viewing Shelter and at the Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre and the the welcome to country ceremony st week at the shelter opening was not associated with any event for a future transportation solution.
He says the ceremony shows the Government’s respect and acknowledgement of Tasmanian Aboriginal people as the existing and original custodians of the land and was in recognition of the involvement of Aboriginal people in the shelters interpretive design.
The ceremony was filmed and will form part of the shelter interpretive story.
Mr Jaensch says if the business case for the cable car is approved there will be a broad program of stakeholder and community engagement which will include representatives of the Tasmanian Aboriginal people.
