Vietnam Vets have a win
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Vietnam Vets have a win
Local news from FNQ - Bloody good to see the Vets come out on top. Good on the Local Land Council for giving them support as well.
Vietnam vets win bush retreat access
Vietnam veterans have secured access to a far north Queensland bush retreat after a four year campaign and negotiations this month with the Cape York Land Council.
They will be on hand tomorrow when Natural Resources Minister Henry Palaszczuk presents traditional claimants with freehold title to Kalpowar Station.
Under a 15-year license agreement the veterans will have unrestricted access to a 9x1 kilometre area to be known as Pandanus Park on the banks of the Normanby River.
Project Pandanus coordinator Les Hiddens says public support played an important role in securing the retreat.
"One of the main reasons this has been so successful is that the average person in the street as well as the Aboriginal people, of course, have been backing the veterans on the issue and it's a real case of people power here," he said.
He says he is now prepared to call a "Beattie bashing" truce after four years of State Government indifference but it will only be temporary.
"I wouldn't promise that, I don't know about no more [Queensland Premier Peter] Beattie bashing.
"If we were to get a bad run we'd certainly be jumping up and down on the spot again but I don't think we are going to get that at the moment, we've got some things ... some other issues that we do want to put on Peter Beattie later on so we'll see how he goes with that too."
Mr Hiddens says he is not concerned the access agreement to the retreat has been limited to 15 years as a lot could happen in that time.
"In 15 years time, of course, the Vietnam Veterans are all approaching the late seventies, early eighties and I think that's what the Aboriginal people are saying, 'we'll offer you this period of time that you can use but after that we want the land back' type of thing.
"Now, you know, 15 years is a long time and a lot can happen in 15 years."
Vietnam vets win bush retreat access
Vietnam veterans have secured access to a far north Queensland bush retreat after a four year campaign and negotiations this month with the Cape York Land Council.
They will be on hand tomorrow when Natural Resources Minister Henry Palaszczuk presents traditional claimants with freehold title to Kalpowar Station.
Under a 15-year license agreement the veterans will have unrestricted access to a 9x1 kilometre area to be known as Pandanus Park on the banks of the Normanby River.
Project Pandanus coordinator Les Hiddens says public support played an important role in securing the retreat.
"One of the main reasons this has been so successful is that the average person in the street as well as the Aboriginal people, of course, have been backing the veterans on the issue and it's a real case of people power here," he said.
He says he is now prepared to call a "Beattie bashing" truce after four years of State Government indifference but it will only be temporary.
"I wouldn't promise that, I don't know about no more [Queensland Premier Peter] Beattie bashing.
"If we were to get a bad run we'd certainly be jumping up and down on the spot again but I don't think we are going to get that at the moment, we've got some things ... some other issues that we do want to put on Peter Beattie later on so we'll see how he goes with that too."
Mr Hiddens says he is not concerned the access agreement to the retreat has been limited to 15 years as a lot could happen in that time.
"In 15 years time, of course, the Vietnam Veterans are all approaching the late seventies, early eighties and I think that's what the Aboriginal people are saying, 'we'll offer you this period of time that you can use but after that we want the land back' type of thing.
"Now, you know, 15 years is a long time and a lot can happen in 15 years."
