Lake Frome Regional Reserve

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS (Black—Minister for Environment and Water) (11:08): I move:

That this house requests Her Excellency the Governor to make a proclamation under section 34A(2) of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 to abolish Lake Frome Regional Reserve.

The purpose of this motion is to abolish Lake Frome Regional Reserve to allow for the land to be proclaimed as the Lake Frome National Park.

Lake Frome Regional Reserve was proclaimed in 1991 to conserve a large arid salt lake system that is of geological significance and covers more than 258,000 hectares. This ephemeral salt lake stretches 100 kilometres long and 40 kilometres wide and is of cultural significance to the Adnyamathanha people.

Upgrading the status of the Lake Frome Regional Reserve to a national park will recognise the national significance of the salt lake and give it the same status as other large salt lakes, including Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre, Lake Torrens and Lake Gairdner. The Adnyamathanha Traditional Lands Association (Aboriginal Corporation) were notified of the proposal relating to Lake Frome and they were supportive of the proposal.

The proposed change will increase the role of the Minister for Environment and Water in managing exploration and mining rights. Currently, the minister only has a consultative role on any proposed exploration tenements, but as a national park the minister will have an approval role. Subject to the resolution of this house, Her Excellency the Governor will be requested to abolish the Lake Frome Regional Reserve and contemporaneously constitute the land as the new Lake Frome National Park, pursuant to section 28(1) of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972. I commend this motion to the house.

Motion carried.