Pastoralists and Graziers Association ramps up campaign to stop creation of Fitzroy National Park

The Pastoralists and Graziers Association has put the State Government on notice over its plans to develop a national park in the Fitzroy Valley, warning it will cost jobs and more than $1 billion a year in potential productivity. PGA president Tony Seabrook said the “gloves are now off” after failing to sway the Government against the idea. The Government is moving ahead to create a national park and a management plan for the Fitzroy catchment, incorporating a water-allocation plan to ensure the long-term health of the river. But that has angered local pastoralists who want to develop their properties, including billionaire Gina Rinehart who owns Fossil Downs and Liveringa station, and the Harris family, of GoGo Station. Both have proposals to use Fitzroy surface water to grow cattle fodder and increase production, but Mr Seabrook said a national park would kill those hopes. Up to 21 pastoralists have direct frontage to the Fitzroy or Margaret rivers, providing drinking water for livestock, but the PGA fears fencing for a national park could prevent access. The PGA will this week target more than 200 State and Federal MPs — including Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg — in a letter campaign calling for help to scrap the plan. “There is a staggering opportunity to build prosperity in the region, but the State Government is looking at shutting that down for ever, just to appease local Aboriginal groups and Perth-based greenies,” Mr Seabrook said. “Creating a national park will mean pastoralists cannot get access to excess water from the Fitzroy. We have some of the north’s best grazing land up there, yet they’re wanting to trade that off to create ranger jobs.” Mr Seabrook said about 95 per cent of the land in the Fitzroy river catchment was under pastoral lease, with the rest already covered by conservation estate. He said building the national park would substantially devalue the leases. “These leases were bought knowing they had access to natural water for grazing, yet there had been no mention by the State Government of compensation,” Mr Seabrook said. WA Agriculture Minister Alannah MacTiernan said the creation of a Fitzroy River National Park was part of Labor’s 2017 election commitment. “It’s a novel idea, but the most sensible course of action for the PGA would be to work with Government and the rest of the community to chart the path forward,” she said. “We want a productive and sustainable pastoral sector in the Fitzroy catchment, based on sound science – and will continue working with the sector to deliver this.” A CSIRO report in 2018 found 1700 gigalitres of surface water could be conservatively taken from the Fitzroy each year. The report said investing in dams and other water infrastructure could unlock 160,000ha of agricultural land, delivering more than 5000 jobs and creating a $1.2 billion-a-year food hub.