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The Queensland government has angrily rejected federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott's bid to overturn Queensland's wild rivers legislation.
Mr Abbott on Monday introduced draft laws into federal parliament that would overturn the Queensland government's Wild Rivers Act.
The state legislation restricts development along nine protected rivers in Queensland.
But critics, including Mr Abbott, argue it also denies Aboriginal people economic opportunities related to their own land.
Queensland's Natural Resources Minister Stephen Robertson said Mr Abbott's push showed he's clearly unable to see a balance between environmental needs and economic development.
He said Queensland's Wild Rivers Act was a visionary approach to protecting some of Australia's most ecologically healthy river systems.
'The Queensland government's over-arching intent is to ensure that any new development within a wild river basin does not detrimentally impact on those natural values that make these rivers so special,' he said.
'Does that mean opportunities for job creation in indigenous communities grind to a halt as has been alleged? The answer is an emphatic no.'
Under the wild rivers legislation activities such as mining, grazing, fishing, eco-tourism, outstation development and indigenous cultural activities could all still occur, Mr Robertson said.
But developments such as intensive agriculture, animal husbandry, in-stream dams and weirs, surface mining, and aquaculture are restricted in the most sensitive areas.
'But even these activities can receive approval if a suitable development plan, which puts appropriate environmental safeguards in place, is prepared,' Mr Robertson said.
'Surely, in such ecologically sensitive areas, this kind of case by case approach to development assessment is not too much to ask.'
He added: 'Even if Abbott succeeded in his challenge to Queensland's Wild Rivers Act, the Commonwealth's Environmental Protection, Biodiversity and Conservation (EPBC) Act would still exist and, in the absence of state legislation, would have a significant influence on how and what development could take place in Cape York.'
