National Indigenous Times
Torres Strait Islander community leaders fear plans of a Chinese fish processing plant on the island of Daru will impact border security and the commercial fishing sector.
Located off the southern coast of Papua New Guinea, Daru Island is one of the few Torres Strait Islands that are governed by Papua New Guinea rather than Australia.
China’s Ministry of Commerce has announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Papua New Guinea to build a $200 million comprehensive multi-functional fishery industrial park.
Community leaders believe the fishing facility will negatively affect nearby communities and their access to resources.
The signing of a $204 million memorandum of understanding between a Chinese government-backed fishery company and the Papua New Guinea government to build a ‘comprehensive multi-functional fishery industrial park’ on the Torres Strait island of Daru has triggered starkly different responses in PNG and in Australia.
Daru is the administrative hub for PNG’s impoverished and underdeveloped Western Province (also known unofficially as Fly River Province). It’s one of the few islands in the Torres Strait that’s not Australian territory, and it’s only a short dinghy ride from the Australian border.
Since I wrote about the MoU in the regional Far North Queensland newspaper
Torres Strait Islanders fear over $200m Chinese fishery handshake with PNG
WedWednesday 16
updated
ThuThursday 17
DecDecember 2020 at 12:58am
The Torres Shire Mayor Vonda Malone says having a large, Chinese-owned fishery could change life for Torres Strait Islanders.
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Torres Strait Islander leaders in Far North Queensland say they are incredibly nervous about China s plan to build a fish processing plant on their doorstep, and are seeking urgent talks with the Australian Government.
Key points:
China has signed an MOU with PNG to build a $200 million fishing facility on Daru Island
Torres Strait Islanders say they are very nervous about the Chinese setting up on their doorstep
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A landmark human rights complaint against the Australian Government by Torres Strait Islanders suffering the effects of climate change has received the backing of two prominent United Nations legal experts.
Key points:
The UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment and his predecessor have filed a joint letter of support with the committee
The case could set a precedent for other communities vulnerable to climate change
A group from Vanuatu is also looking into taking legal action
Earlier this year, the Australian Government told the United Nations it could not be singled out and held responsible, because climate change is a global problem.