Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott's bid to overturn Queensland's wild rivers legislation is more about winning votes at the next election than helping indigenous people, says Labor.
Three rivers on Cape York Peninsula have been declared "wild rivers" under Queensland's Wild Rivers Act, granting them protection from mining, aquaculture and farming.
Mr Abbott, who met with indigenous leaders in Cairns, says the laws deny Aboriginal people economic opportunities and he will introduce a private member's bill into federal parliament to overturn them.
Queensland's Natural Resources Minister Stephen Robertson said this was Mr Abbott's attempt to win back the north Queensland seat of Leichhardt.
"I can only think this is more about the next federal election and their desire to win back the seat of Leichhardt than it is about any real concern about communities in Cape York," Mr Robertson said.
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"Any reasonable reading of the wild rivers legislation and the declarations of the Stewart, Lockhart and Archer rivers shows economic opportunities are hard-wired into those declarations."
Greens leader Bob Brown said any High Court battle which would stem from Mr Abbott's bill would be defeated, because the proposed bill would breach states' rights.
"Joh Bjelke-Petersen would be turning in his grave over that," Senator Brown said.
Senator Brown said Mr Abbott should produce his legal advice.
He said his party would be "very pleased" to take on the coalition over the issue during the federal election and his party would be fielding candidates in north Queensland.
Federal Climate Change Minister Penny Wong said she wanted to see Mr Abbott's bill before commenting.
"We are committed to closing the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians," she said.
Aboriginal leaders appealed for Mr Abbott to stay the distance with his bill.
Cape York Land Council chairman Richie Ahmat said the laws' effect on communities would be a hot election issue.
"I would urge prime minister Rudd to take the wild rivers matter very seriously in a federal election year," Mr Ahmat said.
"This is of grave concern to the people of Cape York - our children have been locked out of sustainable development opportunities on their land for the sake of green votes in the city."
Dion Creek, a young Cape York leader who met with Mr Abbott, said the legislation prevented him from building a camping ground for tourists near the protected Archer River.
The Wilderness Society of Queensland spokesman Glenn Walker said there was a lot of misinformation about what the laws stopped and eco-friendly camping grounds were not one of them.
"It doesn't stop all development - it means when a developer puts in an application there's an additional test," Mr Walker said.
