Green group responds to ALP and CLP environment announcements

The Wilderness Society inc
Media Release
28 July 2008

Following the weekend release of the CLP and ALP environment policies, The Wilderness Society (TWS) today called on both parties to release policies to address the biggest threats to nature in the Territory – landclearing, river protection and poor land management.

Lyndon Schneiders, Northern Australia Campaign Manager for TWS said, “We commend Labor on its plan to establish an ‘eco-links’ program from the Arafura Sea to the Red Centre and to rule out Uranium Mining at Koongarra and a nuclear waste dump.”

 “We also welcome the CLP’s commitment to establish an independent EPA.”

“However, neither party has outlined in any detail how they plan to tackle one of the greatest threats to biodiversity – the clearing of the Territory’s forests and woodlands.”

Since 2002, approximately 70 000 hectares of land in the Territory has been approved for clearing whilst 30 000 hectares of the forests of the Tiwi Islands have already been clear- felled for plantations.

Mr Schneiders continued, “Furthermore, neither the CLP or the ALP have outlined how they intend to support landholders, both Indigenous and non Indigenous, deal with the full range of environmental management issues including fire and weed management.”

“Finally, neither party has outlined how they intend to protect the rivers of the Territory from the expansion of irrigated agriculture.”

“The people of the Territory have a great environment and a great way of life and deserve leadership from Government that keeps it that way” he concluded.