Over 1000 Victorians are expected to march backwards from Parliament House today to highlight the direction the Baillieu Government is taking Victoria on the environment and climate change.

Organisers of the Backwards March – Environment Victoria, The Wilderness Society, Victorian National Parks Association and Friends of the Earth – are calling on the Premier to change direction to save Victoria’s environment before it’s too late. The Backwards March comes a fortnight ahead of the Baillieu Government’s first anniversary.

The environment groups described the past 12 months as an Annus Horribilis, or year of horrors, for Victoria’s environment, with decisions to allow cattle grazing in Alpine National Parks, prevent the development of new wind farms, weaken threatened species protection and unravel Victoria’s climate policy agenda.

Environment Victoria’s CEO Kelly O’Shanassy said:

“The Baillieu Government didn’t release their environment policy ahead of the election, and since they were elected we’ve seen the systematic dismantling of Victoria’s environmental protections. Its extremely disappointing and contrary to Victorians aspirations for the environment. We need to see a change of direction urgently.”

“Some of the Baillieu Government’s decisions are frankly illogical and ideological,” Friends of the Earth’s Campaigns Coordinator Cam Walker said.

“The State Government has so far turned its back on the solar and wind industries, two of the fastest growing industries in the world, and instead is supporting new coal mines and coal-fired power stations. Victorians can oppose wind farms but not the extension of a coal mine. It’s a backwards approach that needs to change.”

The Wilderness Society’s Forests Campaigner Luke Chamberlain said:

“It has only taken a year for Premier Baillieu to take Victoria back to Victorian times when loggers and miners were able to destroy our beautiful natural environment without any recourse. Recent revelations that forestry could be made exempt from the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act effectively sign the death warrant of Victoria’s iconic Leadbeater’s possum at Sylvia Creek and the Long-footed potoroo and other endangered species at Brown Mountain.”

Victorian National Parks Association Executive Director Matt Ruchel said:

“Premier Baillieu said he would fix the problems and build the future. But when it comes to our unique environment his government has created new problems that are threatening our future. The government has undermined National Parks with cattle trampling the Alpine National Park and opening up redgum parks for firewood collection. National Parks are not cow paddocks or firewood depots.”

The environment groups said the Baillieu Government had shown it was capable of acting for the environment, in isolated cases such as increasing Victoria’s energy efficiency target and landfill levies and making additions to the Parks system. However these positive measures were more than outweighed by a series of poor environmental decisions.

Environment Victoria’s Kelly O’Shanassy concluded: “What we need now is for the Baillieu Government to put its annus horribilis behind it, and to develop a policy agenda that helps, not harms, the environment and positions Victoria as an environmental and clean economy leader.”

Running report cards on the Baillieu Government’s negative and positive decisions on the environment can be found at these locations:
http://www.environmentvictoria.org.au/envirowatch/performance
http://www.melbourne.foe.org.au/?q=node/932

For further information or comment:

Kelly O’Shanassy, Environment Victoria: 0421 054 402
Cam Walker, Friends of the Earth: 0419 338 047
Luke Chamberlain, the Wilderness Society: 0424 098 729
Matt Ruchel, Victorian National Parks Association: 0418 357 813

The Wilderness Society and Friends of the Earth have slammed the Bligh Government for allowing Clive Palmer to pursue plans for a giant coal mine over the Bimblebox Nature Refuge near Alpha in central Queensland. The groups joined with one of Bimblebox’s property owners, Paola Cassoni, in a colourful protest at Queensland Parliament House this morning, demanding that Premier Bligh immediately protect Bimblebox and other nature refuges from mining.

Paola Cassoni said: “When we entered into a nature refuge agreement with the Queensland Government, we thought the wildlife and woodlands on our property would be protected forever. Instead the government has let Clive Palmer apply for a huge coal mine right over the refuge, which will decimate everything.”

The 8000 hectare Bimblebox property was purchased in 2000 with help from the Australian Government’s National Reserve System program, in recognition of its remnant woodlands and high diversity of birds, reptiles and other animals. Ms Cassoni and Bimblebox co-owners signed a nature refuge agreement with the Queensland Government in 2003 with the aim of giving permanent protection to the property.

Clive Palmer’s Waratah Coal released the EIS for their massive new coal mine earlier this month. The mine involves an open-cut mine over 52% of the refuge, with the remainder of the property subject to damaging underground long-wall mining.

“If Bimblebox is mined, it will prove Queensland’s nature refuge program to be an absolute farce,” said Glenn Walker, spokesperson for The Wilderness Society. “There is no refuge for nature in an open-cut coal mine.”

“The case of Bimblebox demonstrates the need to urgently protect nature refuges from destructive mining. The Bligh Government can not claim to be increasing Queensland’s protected area estate through nature refuge agreements when it is clear to all that it’s still open-slather for the mining industry,” said Mr Walker.

“Does Premier Bligh support Clive Palmer’s coal destruction, or does she support the protection of nature?” said Bradley Smith, spokesperson for Friends of the Earth Brisbane.

“If Premier Bligh is serious about nature protection, she will move to urgently amend Queensland’s Nature Conservation Act to ban mining on nature refuges. Clive Palmer’s dirty coal mine over Bimblebox should not have even got to the EIS stage – there should be no mining exploration permits or leases granted over any nature refuge,” said Mr Smith.

Media Enquiries:

Paola Cassoni, Bimblebox Nature Refuge: 0459 956 240
Glenn Walker, The Wilderness Society: 0417 645 927
Bradley Smith, Friends of the Earth Brisbane: 0413 280 006

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. The coal plans have been revealed today by the Wilderness Society, which has vowed to fiercely oppose any coal mining plans in the area.

One of Cape York’s largest national parks is now totally surrounded by land targeted for coal mining as companies snap up exploration permits, with one tenement even covering a nature refuge. The only way to transport the coal out of the area would be to build a huge port right in the World Heritage Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, or cut a haul road or large conveyor belt right through Rinyirru (Lakefield) National Park or Jack River National Park.

“These are deeply disturbing revelations,” said Gavan McFadzean, Northern Australia Campaigner for The Wilderness Society. “Cape York Peninsula has become the next big target for the coal industry. The sick irony is that while the community has been working hard on protecting the World Heritage values of Cape York Peninsula, the coal industry is busy plotting to dig up the very same areas. Cape York Peninsula deserves to be protected, not plundered for short-term coal profits.”

The Wilderness Society understands that negotiations are already under way for coal exploration to commence on Indigenous-owned land between Rinyirru (Lakefield) National Park, Cape Melville National Park and Jack River National Park (see attached map below).

“If an open cut coal mine goes ahead in this area it will inflict massive environmental damage,” Mr McFadzean said. “Entire ecosystems could be wiped out including habitat for threatened wildlife such as the Red Goshawk and Northern Quoll. Sensitive rivers and wetlands will be exposed to toxic mine discharges. The Great Barrier Reef and marine wildlife could also be under serious threat from degraded water quality as a result of mining activities.”

“In addition, there are very serious questions about how coal would be transported away from the mines. The options are to either build a big port right in the World Heritage Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, or cut a haul road or large conveyor belt right through Lakefield National Park. Either way, the result will be devastating for our natural heritage and vulnerable native wildlife.”

There are 19 coal exploration tenements on Cape York Peninsula, with 12 applications made in the past month-and-a-half alone. The area covered by coal exploration tenements is now 1,420,000 hectares – about seven times the size of Fraser Island.

The Wilderness Society is calling for bi-partisan rejection of coal exploration permits and mining leases on Cape York Peninsula, from both Queensland Premier Anna Bligh and LNP Leader Campbell Newman.

Media Enquiries: Gavan McFadzean, 0414 754 023

Coal mining exploration permits surround national parks on Cape York and threatens ecosystems including the Great Barrier Reef.

• Burning native forests no longer renewable energy, under carbon plan
• $948 million over the first six years to support biodiverse carbon stores

The Wilderness Society welcomed key elements of today’s carbon price plan, particularly those ruling out the burning of native forests to produce ‘renewable energy’ and the creation of a $1 billion fund to protect carbon held in nature.

Biomass from native forests will now no longer be counted as renewable energy. This is especially important with the impending approval decisions on proposed biomass power plants at Eden on the New South Wales South Coast and in Western Australia.

National Campaign Director Lyndon Schneiders said, “The Australian Government has finally come to its senses by ruling that turning native forests into a power source is not renewable and should not be supported.”

The Wilderness Society also welcomed that creation of an ongoing biodiversity fund worth $948 million over the first six years to directly support projects that establish, restore, protect or manage biodiverse carbon stores.

"The protection of carbon stocks in nature including through the protection of our forests and woodlands is the easiest way to reduce emissions and we welcome this funding commitment. Common sense at last prevails."

Recognising the contribution of protecting and restoring our carbon stocks in forests and other native vegetation will help Australia make deeper cuts to its carbon emissions by 2020, and the Wilderness Society welcomes the goal of 80 per cent cut in emissions by 2050.

For further comment contact the Wilderness Society National Campaign Director
Lyndon Schneiders 0451 633 200
For media inquiries contact Alex Tibbitts 0416 420 168