Cape York UN heritage listing delayed AUSTRALIA has missed a UN deadline to nominate the Cape York wilderness for World Heritage listing, almost 18 months after pledging $3 million to consult with indigenous leaders. The federal government first raised the push to recognise nature areas in far north Queensland in 2009. But the government missed a February 1 deadline to have Cape York Peninsula considered by UNESCO during 2013. In September 2011, Environment Minister Tony Burke announced $3 million would be pledged to "support engagement and consultation" with traditional owners on a World Heritage nomination. On Tuesday, Mr Burke said traditional owners needed more time. "I am very proud to be the environment minister who said to traditional owners, you hold the pen, you draw the map and we'll back you," he told AAP in a statement. If traditional owners want more time to determine exactly what areas of the cape they want protected in this way, that is quite properly their decision and they won't be rushed by me. Wilderness Society northern Australia campaign director Gavan McFadzean said the government had failed to give traditional owners sufficient information about what a World Heritage listing would mean. "I don't think they're being upfront," he told AAP. The commonwealth has provided them with little information to make a listing decision. Mr McFadzean said the failure to nominate by the February 1 deadline meant a coalition government led by Tony Abbott would have an easier task of dismantling the nomination process. Opposition environment spokesman Greg Hunt said while the coalition would only support World Heritage listing with indigenous approval, the government needed to explain how $3 million was spent. "We would like to know what has happened to the $3 million which had been set aside for consultation and whether it has been fully used and if not, has it again been a case of wasted money by the government?" he said in a statement. AAP saj/bart/ms