Campbell Newman to re-open Queensland’s wild rivers to mining destruction

Media Release
The Wilderness Society (Qld) Inc.
04 November 2011

The Wilderness Society today condemned LNP leader Campbell Newman’s regressive pledge to scrap Queensland’s world-leading Wild Rivers Act and declarations.

The move will re-open Queensland’s pristine free-flowing wild rivers to highly destructive mining development and dams, destroying some of Queensland’s most special natural places – the Gulf of Carpentaria, Cape York and the Channel Country would all be open to industrial threats.

“It’s now crystal clear where Campbell Newman stands on Queensland’s environment – he’s against its protection” said Dr Tim Seelig, Queensland Campaign Manager for The Wilderness Society.

“Queensland’s Wild River laws are there to keep mining and other highly destructive development away from sensitive waterways and wetlands, to protect these important areas. This is just a common sense policy to do – only the senseless or the callous would object to it.”

“By repealing the wild river declaration for the Wenlock River on Cape York, the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve will once again be opened up for bauxite mining destruction. Company-sponsored impact statements would do nothing to prevent this. Likewise the stunning Aurukun wetlands would be exposed to sand mining, and the spectacular rivers of the Lake Eyre Basin exposed to toxic mining contamination.”

“Queenslanders should be under no illusions here – a Campbell Newman led government would let the mining industry and dam builders run rampant on Queensland’s wild rivers, and on other places of special natural value.”

The Wilderness Society said the LNP’s plan to ”replace” Wild Rivers protections with ill-defined regional processes was an absolute farce and only a cover for the underlying objective of scrapping environmental protections. It would open Cape York and other special parts of the State as new frontiers for industrialisation.

“Mr Newman and the LNP will always put mining corporations and big developers ahead of environmental protection,”

The Wilderness Society also stressed that Indigenous jobs were at risk under the Newman plan, and pointed to his failure to consult with the many Indigenous people that strongly support Wild Rivers and oppose mining development and dams in their rivers.

The Wilderness Society has vowed to highlight Campbell Newman’s strongly anti-environment stance in the electorate of Ashgrove and other key electorates.

Media Enquiries:
Dr Tim Seelig, Queensland Campaign Manager: 0439 201 183
Anthony Esposito, Manager Indigenous Conservation Program: 0418 152 743