Environment Must Come Before Mining As Government Ignores Wild Rivers Advice

Media Release.

The Newman government has ignored the advice of its own advisory panel in an act of environmental vandalism which will see CSG and oil shale mining open up in one of the state’s most pristine areas.

Shadow Environment Minister Jackie Trad said the decision to wind back landmark Wild Rivers protection by the Natural Resources and Mines Minister would see CSG and oil shale extraction allowed in the Channel Country in western Queensland, proving the government valued profits over environmental protection.

“The Minister Andrew Cripps has ignored the advice of his own Western Rivers Advisory Panel which just last month called for a total ban on mining in major rivers and on floodplains and lakes,” Ms Trad said.

“He has ridden roughshod over this group so that oil shale extraction and CSG mining can take place in what is some of the most significantly unspoiled country in the continent, if not the world."

“What’s happening here needs to be made very, very clear – this not only crushes some of the most significant environmental protection legislation in a generation, it is a blatantly broken promise."

“The former Labor government introduced Wild Rivers legislation to protect regions like the Channel Country and other vast areas throughout the state because they require protection from the types of activities that Mr Cripps is determined to allow."

“Wild Rivers contained perhaps the most extensive protections in Australia."

“The LNP promised before this government was elected that it had no plans to repeal or replace any of the Wild Rivers declarations in Western Queensland. Mr Cripps’ claims that the oil and gas industries will now face even tougher protections in these areas is fanciful at best."

“This Minister is allowing this because he is simply more interested in mining companies turning a profit and allowing development in these pristine areas than he is giving them protection."

“And it is extremely telling that he has had to go against the advice of a panel he hand-picked.”

Ms Trad said environmentalists around the country and around the world would be horrified by the Newman government’s complete disregard for Queensland’s unique environment.

“This is the same government that is opening up 700,000 hectares of forest for clearing, the same government that has hastily given the go-ahead for uranium mining – another broken promise."

“With this latest move, its record of environmental disregard speaks for itself.”