Queensland 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
- Bligh and Crean in race to the bottom on northern dams - December 15, 2011
- Wilderness Society takes environment campaign right up to Campbell Newman - November 07, 2011
- Campbell Newman to re-open Queensland’s wild rivers to mining destruction - November 04, 2011
- Bimblebox Nature Refuge protest comes to Queensland Parliament House - October 26, 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
- Australia's iconic Lake Eyre Wild Rivers to be protected - August 24, 2011
- Huge dirty coal mine planned for Cape York - August 16, 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.
With its $10 million pledge to support irrigated agriculture across Queensland’s Gulf Country, the Federal and Queensland Governments have joined Bill Heffernan and Bob Katter in an environmentally destructive, economically irresponsible and intellectually bankrupt race to the bottom.
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.
The Wilderness Society today condemned LNP leader Campbell Newman’s regressive pledge to scrap Queensland’s world-leading Wild Rivers Act and declarations.
“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,”
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.
Generations of Australians to come will be able to witness the spectacular event we have just seen – the glorious transformation of the iconic Lake Eyre into a wildlife wonderland – when the Queensland Government finalises the protection of two main rivers systems that feed the lake from the devastating effects of mining and water extraction.
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.
