Cape York Media Releases
- Emergency heritage listing lodged to protect Cape York from wave of mining development - January 30, 2012
- Environment issues key in the Queensland election - January 24, 2012
- Wilderness Society takes environment campaign right up to Campbell Newman - November 07, 2011
- Massive new bauxite mine to wipe out forests and threaten new crab species - September 14, 2011
- Cape York World Heritage funding boost welcome, but threats remain - September 07, 2011
- Huge dirty coal mine planned for Cape York - August 16, 2011
- Iron Range hand-back continues Australia’s largest land return and conservation program - July 29, 2011
- Bligh Government chases bauxite mining mirage - July 05, 2011
- What is Campbell Newman's agenda for Cape York? - June 29, 2011
- Abbott's anti-Wild Rivers Bill dead in the water - May 12, 2011
The Wilderness Society (TWS) has sought emergency National Heritage listing for four areas on Cape York Peninsula under serious threat from destructive mining proposals (see attached map and table).
Environmental issues such as the retention of Wild River protections, finalising a World Heritage nomination for Cape York Peninsula, and keeping native woodlands and forests safe from land clearing will be key focuses in the Queensland election, the Wilderness Society said today.
The Wilderness Society (TWS) will today launch its campaign to secure strong environmental platforms from the ALP and LNP ahead of the Queensland election, with a particular focus on turning around Liberal National Party leader Campbell Newman’s anti-environment agenda.
Nearly 30 000 hectares of forest will be wiped out, a pristine river will be destroyed, and a new species of crab will be severely threatened if Rio Tinto’s massive new bauxite mine is approved on Cape York Peninsula. The Wilderness Society is calling on Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke to reject approval of the mine.
The Wilderness Society welcomes today’s Australian and Queensland governments announcement of a $23 million funding boost aimed at protecting the Cape York Peninsula wilderness as a future World Heritage area.
While conservationists, Traditional Owners and parts of the Queensland Government have been working towards a World Heritage listing for stunning Cape York Peninsula, mining companies are attempting to turn the region into a giant dirty coal mine, threatening whole ecosystems and the Great Barrier Reef.
Today’s signing of Indigenous Land Use Agreements and Indigenous Management Agreements, resulting in the transfer of the Iron Range National Park to the ownership of the Kuuku Ya'u peoples, continues the progress towards land justice and Indigenous conservation on Cape York. Several Island National Parks adjacent to the area will also be converted under this arrangement.
The Wilderness Society today criticised the Queensland Government for continuing to push for a massive new bauxite mine near Aurukun on Cape York Peninsula, despite a litany of failures to get a mine operational in the region.
The future of Cape York Peninsula in far north Queensland is in question again with LNP leader Campbell Newman conducting a short trip there, but revealing nothing about his agenda for the region.
The Wilderness Society has congratulated Family First Senator Steve Fielding for putting vital environmental protection ahead of mining interests, with his surprise announcement today that he will vote against Tony Abbott's anti-Wild Rivers Bill in the Senate.
