That the Senate-
(a) notes that:
(i) the Royal National Park in New South Wales has enormous heritage value, including being the first national park in Australia, as well as one of the first in the world, and
(ii) it has been six years since the Federal and New South Wales State Governments committed to nominating the Royal National Park for World Heritage status; and
(b) calls on the Federal Government to demonstrate environmental leadership and work with the New South Wales government to place the Royal National Park on Australia’s Tentative World Heritage List.
Motion passed
Speech to motion:
On the doorstep of Sydney lies Australia’s oldest national park, and the second-oldest in the world. The Royal National Park, or ‘the Nasho’, as locals call it, is an environmental and cultural jewel, and more than 4½ million people visit it every single year. The national park deserves to be nominated for World Heritage listing, and it has been six years since both the New South Wales government and the federal government committed to working together to make this happen. The community is deeply frustrated at the slow pace and wants to know what is going on. In that time, we’ve had a plethora of environmental ministers at both the federal and the state level. So, just get your act together, and let’s give the Nasho the protection it deserves.
