The Chuula community recognise the importance of environmental health issues to the appropriate management of our lands and to the development of permanent communities on our homelands. A number of environmental health issues will need our attention as we develop land and resource management and community development plans for our homelands. These include:
- Impacts of mining development on the Wenlock River and its tributaries (e.g. unmarked open mine shafts, disposal of waste products, management of mining camp ruins on the Wenlock River).
- Impacts of unregulated camping (e.g. toilet, rubbish and gravel pits).
- Impacts of upstream development on downstream water quality (e.g. location of septic systems, water reticulation).
- Development of roads and drainage.
- Management of dust and other debris in living areas.
- Disposal of rubbish and recycling.
Our objectives in relation to environmental health management are:
- To protect the environmental health of Kaanju homelands.
- To improve and maintain the health of Kaanju people living on homelands.
- To incorporate environmental health planning into economic and homelands development.
The strategies we will use to address environmental health issues include:Environmental Health Plan for Kaanju homelands.
Establish and train Kaanju Environmental Health Officers for homelands.
Approach the Natural Heritage Trust (NHT) and the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) regarding the management of old mine sites.
Establish household recycling schemes on homelands.
Provide facilities for rubbish disposal for public.
Establish designated camp grounds with toilet and rubbish disposal facilities.
Establish signage to inform public to put rubbish in bins provided or take it home.
Educate the public about environmental health management.Environmental health issues have been incorporated into our Project and Work Programme for Kaanju homelands as well as into other land and resource management plans for our homelands. We are also addressing environmental health issues with our Cultural and Land Management Protocols that will be displayed on signage on our homelands. Our Chuulangun Aboriginal Camp Grounds Proposal will also address environmental health issues through the management of third-party use of our homelands.
