Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre and Bob Brown Foundation slam 4x4 users along takayna/Tarkine coast
4x4 users have been slammed over their alleged destruction of 40,000-year-old Aboriginal sites in the state’s north west – and campaigners say the lack of policing is to blame. WATCH THE VIDEO
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THE Bob Brown Foundation and the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre have joined forces to slam the state government’s handling of policing 4x4 usage along the takayna/Tarkine coastal areas in the state’s north west.
They say off road users have “destroyed” 40,000-year-old Aboriginal heritage sites.
The Tasmania Aboriginal Centre’s chief political spokesperson Nala Mansell and Bob Brown Foundation’s Scott Jordan have called for stricter policing in the area in the wake of 4x4 vehicles “tearing through and destroying” Aboriginal sites over Easter long weekend.
But Police Minister Felix Ellis said the conflict was not as “black and white as 4x4 users versus the indigenous community”.
He claims “many indigenous people in the Circular Head council area are really passionate about 4x4 use.”
Scott Jordan, passionate takayna campaigner and spokesperson for the Bob Brown Foundation, said the situation was “ridiculous”.
“Surely we have moved past this ‘let’s wreck heritage for fun’ thing. We have a ridiculous situation emerging here where on Easter weekend we had artists out in the field along the coast – a national heritage listed area – and 4x4 and other off-road vehicles were tearing through the area,” Mr Jordan said.
Mr Jordan said it flummoxed him that “ten years after that area has been inscribed we are seeing the same problems”.
“People are driving completely unpoliced with no thought of being caught,” he said.
“And yet in the same weekend the federal government has funded a 4x4 training academy to encourage more people to come to the area.
But Mr Jordan and Ms Mansell agreed that a lack of policing off-road activity on protected Aboriginal sites was the primary concern, saying the government had pushed back on requests to have increased patrols.
“We complain about there not being enough police resources in the area and yet the government have found resources to fund a program to get more vehicles in there,” Mr Jordan said.
He said the Aboriginal shell middens and sacred sites in the area were “irreplaceable”.
“It’s unacceptable and the government can’t use money as an excuse.”
“Those coastal areas are highly sensitive. They have been used and walked by the Aboriginal people for over 40,000 years.”
He added that the environmental impact from 4WD use in the area had been “huge”.
Ms Mansell said the “ancient Aboriginal heritage in takayna was “so valuable” and has been given “no protection or respect by the Tasmanian government.”
“Once that cultural heritage is gone it is gone forever,” she said.
“Millions of dollars are being spent by the federal and state government to encourage people to use the takayna area as 4x4 vehicle off-road playground. We are demanding that our sacred irreplaceable heritage is protected.”
Mr Ellis took the view that “personally, I think we should be opening those tracks”.
“It’s a beautiful place and people want to go there and use it,” he said.
But the police Minister did say it was “obvious” that the heritage sites needed to be managed, calling them “significant”.
“I grew up in an indigenous community, and for many people being in a 4wd is the only way to get to some of these remote parts of country.”
Mr Ellis said Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service and Tasmanian Police conducted an operation along the takayna/Tarkine coastline “some weeks ago”.
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