Cape York heritage bid 'losing the plot'
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Indigenous groups say conservationists have ignored traditional owners by seeking international support for Cape York Peninsula to be added to the World Heritage List.
Representatives of the Wilderness Society are in Spain, urging the International Union for Conservation and Nature to support the heritage-listing of the Cape.
But Gerhardt Pearson from the Balkanu Cape York Development Corporation says green groups have ignored a consultation process set up by the State Government.
"It's about working outside an agreed process," he said.
"It's about coming over the top of white and black people who live on Cape York and it's gone outside of our boundary. It's an international matter and these guys have absolutely lost the plot."
Dr Tim Seelig from the Wilderness Society says it is only a small step on the long process towards heritage-listing.
"We are absolutely clear that traditional owner consultation and consent is central to the process from here on," he said.
"In fact the very reason we see this resolution as being important is to get that process underway."
