Aussie govt, Opposition plan to save iconic national park
Both of Australia’s major political parties have pledged more than 200 million Australian dollars (FJ$305 million) to breathe new life into Kakadu National Park.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison visited Jabiru, a fledgling town in Kakadu, at short notice yesterday to announce a 216 million Australian dollars (FJ$330.9 million) rescue package for both the town and the park.
Mr Morrison’s announcement came only hours before Bill Shorten, leader of the opposition Australian Labor Party, arrived in the Northern Territory (NT) to announce his own 220 million Australian dollars (FJ$3317.13 million) package for Kakadu.
Jabiru’s future has been uncertain since it was announced that the nearby Ranger uranium mine would close in 2021 but Morrison said the additional funding would “future proof ” the remote town. “We want to ensure Kakadu and Jabiru and all the families and jobs they support are set for the future,” he told reporters.
“Better services and infrastructure for Kakadu will mean more visitors and that means more jobs not just for Jabiru, but for the whole Territory.”
The NT government and the Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation in July 2018 revealed a 446 million Australian dollars (FJ$683.3 million) plan to transform Jabiru into a tourism hub at the heart of the iconic national park. However, the plan was largely dependent on federal government funding.