Queensland State Archives posted a photo:
National rainforest conservation
During 1986, Queensland was in conflict with the Commonwealth government over the management of the rainforests of Far North Queensland. In January, Cabinet recommended a letter be sent to Prime Minister Hawke to express the Queensland Government’s vehement dissatisfactionwith a report tabled by the Working Group on Rainforest Conservation (Dec. 47958).
The letter signed by Premier Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen, expressly refuted (under the Constitution) the Commonwealth Government’s right to intervene in matters of land management within a state. The Premier strongly opposed further nomination of any areas for World Heritage status, and to any review of the rainforest timber industry.
In its recommendation, Cabinet noted that ‘the viewpoints of State Government and extreme Conservation Movement representatives were diametrically opposed on very many issues’. It identified the report’s proposal of increased Commonwealth involvement and oversight in state rainforest conservation as indicative of ‘the ambitions of sectors