Flinders Ranges World Heritage Listing

Mr TEAGUE (Heysen) (14:29): My question is to the Minister for Environment and Water. Will the minister provide the house with an update on the state government's pursuit of World Heritage listing for the Flinders Ranges?

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS (Black—Minister for Environment and Water) (14:29): I thank the member for Heysen for his question about a particularly interesting opportunity for South Australia that not only gives us the chance to achieve protection for an iconic landscape in our state but also gives us the opportunity to leverage economic, environmental and social outcomes from that opportunity. Members would know—and nobody has better knowledge of this than the member for Stuart—that the Flinders Ranges have particularly important natural, cultural, historic and scenic values within our state.

For some time, the state's environment department along with a cluster of other organisations, including the South Australian Museum, the Geological Survey of South Australia and technical experts from around the country and overseas, have been assessing whether the Flinders Ranges have the potential to go forward for World Heritage listing. I am pleased to inform the house that, at the last meeting of environment ministers in April, the environment ministers from other states and territories as well as at federal level endorsed a recommendation that the Flinders Ranges be included on Australia's tentative list for World Heritage listing.

Unsurprisingly, this is a result of a detailed consultation with community on detailed scientific analysis assessing the unique geological features of the Flinders Ranges and deeming them to be worthy to go forward for the World Heritage inscription. While there are a range of values that are worth conserving and protecting in the Flinders Ranges, it is in particular the geological value that is driving this World Heritage listing. The recent decision in April represents important progress, but it is just one of a number of steps towards ultimately achieving World Heritage status for this important landscape.

Community engagement and support will continue to be critical to attaining World Heritage status. A strong commitment has been conveyed to the community and key stakeholders to engage with them and listen to their aspirations as they apply to World Heritage in the Flinders Ranges. Each step within this process will be worked alongside these stakeholders and, in particular, the local Indigenous people, who have been consulted and engaged at every step of the way to ensure that maximum recognition for traditional owners is achieved and that the cultural elements of this landscape are included within the narrative and enhance scientific elements of this nomination.

While there is a long way to go, World Heritage listing will be an incredible opportunity to promote this area Australia-wide and internationally. There will be opportunities to promote scientific, social, cultural, economic and environmental outcomes, and it will also create a regional, national and global drawcard for tourism, research and protection in regional South Australia.

Members, if you have not had the opportunity to visit this landscape, I am sure that the member for Stuart will welcome you as he did me in August 2017 when I got to visit that landscape and spend time, particularly with the Sprigg family at Arkaroola, touring that phenomenal natural and geological landscape. I commend our application for Unesco World Heritage listing to the house and I look forward to continuing to provide updates as we progress towards that listing.