Green audit highlights Queensland Government indifference to environmental protection

The Wilderness Society (QLD) Inc
Media Release
12 April 2008

The Wilderness Society (TWS) today criticised the Queensland Government for its lack of progress in protecting the environment. The 2007 State of Environment Report released today shows Queensland’s environment in decline and an ad hoc approach to environmental protection, the conservation group said.

Glenn Walker, Wild Rivers Campaigner for TWS said: “Queensland is world renowned for our superlative natural environment. From the Great Barrier Reef, to dense tropical rainforests, to enormous wetlands and wild rivers, our environment is what defines our way of life. But the report shows that we are quickly destroying our environment, leaving little for future generations other than a massive restoration bill” Mr Walker said.

The 2007 State of Environment report highlights declines in biodiversity, river and wetland health, and escalating greenhouse gas emissions.

The conservation group singled out the Government’s dam building frenzy across the state and our fossil fuel consumption as major threats to our environment.

“Dam building is out of control in Queensland. There are plans for mega-dams all up and down the east coast to feed the coal mining boom and wasteful urban water consumption. This will cause a further decline in the health of our rivers, the Great Barrier Reef and our native wildlife, already under pressure from climate change and land degradation.
 
“If the Queensland Government is serious about protecting our environment, they should scrap these plans immediately and look to smarter water solutions, of which there are plenty.

The report shows we are losing wetlands at the rate of 7000 Ha per year.

“We also need firm commitments to big cuts in greenhouse gas emissions to have a chance of overcoming the climate change threat” Mr Walker concluded.

TWS acknowledged the Queensland Government’s positive moves to end land clearing, protect Far North Queensland’s wild rivers and Cape York’s World Heritage values, but stressed that this was not enough to save our environment.

(Go to http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/environmental_management/state_of_the_environment/state_of_the_environment_queensland_2007/ to read the report)