Natural Resources Committee: Alinytjara Wilurara Natural Resources Management Region

Mr McBRIDE (MacKillop) (11:32): I move:

That the sixth report of the committee, entitled Fact-Finding Visit Alinytjara Wilurara Natural Resources Management Region, be noted.

It gives me great pleasure to bring to the attention of the parliament that the Natural Resources Committee visited the Alinytjara Wilurara region on 20 to 22 November 2019. It is an area of around 250,000 square kilometres in size. We obviously had a tour that visited this vast region of our state. On the first day, the committee visited the Nilpena Station to view the Ediacaran fossil beds. Around two-thirds of Nilpena will become part of the Ediacara Conservation Park in late 2020. This section of the Nilpena Station was funded by the state government, and through funds by the Flinders Ranges Ediacara Foundation, the Wyss Foundation and the Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife.

On day 2, the Natural Resources Committee flew to Umuwa, where Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara general manager, Richard King, welcomed the committee to the APY lands. The committee received briefings from the NRM work being undertaken in the region, including the pastoral program, management of feral species, the rural recovery program and the diverse range of projects involving Anangu people in caring for country. The APY pastoral manager, Michael, explained the challenges facing the APY lands, the cattle business and the proposed future management framework. The committee was privileged to participate in a tour of Indigenous protected areas. It received information from the APY land management team about its current proposed projects.

The committee visited Mabel Creek Station on day 3, hosted with great thanks by elder Mr Ian Crombie and former chair of AMYAC. The site was acquired by the AMYAC for use as a training and cultural facility and has achieved much success with the management of buffel grass as a buffer zone for the Great Victoria Desert.

During its visit, the committee received information about the development of the world heritage site for Nilpena Station, national parks and protected areas of framework in the area, a multiple government framework for natural resources management in the region, eco and cultural heritage-based tourism initiatives and the management of visitors in significant and protected areas, innovations and pilot trails in natural resources management issues, cooperation between the bodies, and the state and commonwealth government support and involvement in the APY lands.

The committee commends the region on an active program of projects, an array of successes and a committed group of passionate contributors to the on-ground outcomes. The committee was impressed to observe that the region has capitalised on opportunities across a range of purposes, including cultural heritage, protected areas, tourism, pastoralism, biodiversity and conservation. The committee applauds the AW NRM region for a multitude of achievements in one of the state's most remote regions.

The committee notes that 42 Aboriginal people are employed in NRM-related roles as at 2019 in the region, that 73 Aboriginal people have been trained in NRM-related issues as of 2019 in the region, seven events were held in the 2018-19 year to build community capacity adopting sustainable pastoral practices, 753 feral horses were removed in the region in 2018-19, and 5,162 feral camels were removed in the region in 2018-19. The committee heard that invasive species continue to challenge the region. Strategic planning is in place for buffel grass management and management strategies are being included across multiple programs. Further coordination of outcomes related to large herbivores is ongoing.

The committee was inspired to observe that the region has achieved the alignment of many different outcomes through collaboration, including between state and federal levels of government on the application of the NRM funding, and across cultural perspectives in managing the AW region. The region has entered into partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders and programs and has consequently participated in some of Australia's most innovative and significant initiatives, such as the Indigenous Protected Areas program and the 10 Deserts Project.

The committee acknowledges that funding of the NRM programs continues to heavily influence outcomes. The Australian government is the major funding partner of the AW NRM region, mainly through the National Landcare Program (NLP). The region has successfully obtained funding for a range of projects being undertaken that will contribute to the region's long-term sustainability. All projects funded through the NLP include community capacity-building elements. This approach is effective in enabling the Anangu to conserve country, build cultural connections and plan for the future.

Investment in capacity building to manage ongoing issues through skills development and training is an approach being used widely and nationally. The approach is yielding success, where success is defined in terms of community engagement, sustainable outcomes and cultural preservation. The Regional Agriculture Landcare Facilitator role is a critical development in this equation, as the role provides cultural liaison between pastoral staff, traditional custodians and other land managers in the APY lands. It is vital conduit for Indigenous capacity building.

The committee further acknowledges that there are some cultural challenges in achieving NRM outcomes that will help the APY lands adapt to a changing climate. The complexities of sustainable pastoral management in the AW region are concerning for the committee. The legacies of unsustainable NRM practices have the potential to undermine cultural and environmental resilience in a changing climate and can thwart efforts to achieve commercially viable industries. The committee recommends that the South Australian government prioritises assistance to the region that will facilitate the adoption of future-focused industries.

From its visit to Nilpena Station, the committee heard of the World Heritage List process being sought by the Flinders Ranges. It was a very interesting visit to those fossils; it was done during some very hot weather and some of our committee members did suffer while trying to observe these fossils. Similarly, the committee was eager to hear about the new funding opportunities being sought by the Department for Environment and Water through partnerships and philanthropic and non-government entities.

The heightened focus on parks and protected areas for nature-based tourism is expected to create more community engagement with South Australia's spectacular natural wonders. Infrastructure investments to make South Australian parks world class will have multiple and long-lasting benefits.

There were about seven recommendations that came from this committee's trip up to the APY lands and the arid lands. I would like to thank its membership through this period. We had the presiding member in yourself, Mr Speaker, Mr Josh Teague; Minister David Basham; Dr Susan Close; the Hon. John Darley; myself; the Hon. Terry Stephens; and the Hon. Russell Wortley.

I would also like to say a big vote of thanks to our parliamentary officers on the committee. We had Mr Philip Frensham, who has now moved on from the committee. We are now being well represented by Mr Shannon Riggs, and I thank him for his help in rolling out this tour of the arid lands and up into the APY lands. I also would like to thank another research officer who is not on the committee anymore, Dr Monika Stasiak, who has now moved on. We thank them for all their efforts.

It was a very interesting tour. I remember it dearly. I have never been to this region before. We did see some huge opportunities and problems out in these regions. One to note was the expansion and spread of buffel grass through the ranges, coming mainly from Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland. The other issue was camels. Camels are destroying the native vegetation and also any infrastructure that is up that way, including residential infrastructure. I remember quite clearly that camels are posing a huge problem.

The APY lands run a large cattle leasing program out there. The information we heard was that it could be expanded. One of the issues about the expansion of that cattle enterprise, which the APY lands can take on as an opportunity to raise further funds to help that region develop and prosper, was that camels do pose a huge problem to their infrastructure, in particular maintaining water and infrastructure. Not only do they drink some of the systems dry by their huge numbers but they also can destroy them. With that, I note the report. It was a most enjoyable experience and well worthy of its cause.

The SPEAKER: May I note my appreciation to the member for MacKillop for moving the noting of that report on my behalf.

Motion carried.