While I applaud the editorial in the Sydney Morning Herald (10th September 2023) (Blue Mountains would benefit from recognition of its cultural past) and the piece by Julie Power (The Blue Mountains is beautiful, but its cultural landscape has been overlooked), I am deeply concerned that the current draft plan of management for the Blue Mountains and Kanangra-Boyd National Parks is silent on its responsibility to the Commonwealth Government for the protection of the World Heritage values it is obliged to protect.

Sadly, the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Advisory Committee has now lapsed and as yet there is no clear route through which external, expert advice can reach either State or Federal Governments. It is all well and good for delegates attending ICOMOS to be given a tour of the scenic viewpoints overlooking the Blue Mountains but that does not replace the expertise that was on that committee.

Good governance requires transparency, community oversight and expert advice. If the Commonwealth Government is to take its responsibilities for protecting World Heritage values seriously, it must not leave it up to the States to self-regulate. Just remember that the previous State Government wanted to flood much of this area for the sake of housing developments on the floodplain of the Nepean!