[Greens-Media] Qld Greens Media Release: Community and environment denied by Labor

[Qld Greens Media]

*Media Release*

*Community and environment denied by Labor*

*The Greens say the Premier’s promise to further fast track state 
development laws is a denial of community right to comment and a death 
knell for fulsome environmental impact assessment of major 
infrastructure proposals.*

“The Premier’s announcement that he will amend the State Development and 
Public Works Organisation Act to give the lead bureaucrat, the 
Co-Ordinator General, even greater powers to approve projects of state 
significance is a slap in the face for the community and the 
environment,” said environmental lawyer and Queensland Greens candidate 
for Brisbane Central, Larissa Waters.

“This piece of legislation has been the bane of the community’s 
existence ever since it was introduced. It takes development decisions 
for major projects out of the hands of the Council, the state’s 
Environment Department and the community, who would normally have the 
power to object to the development and appeal its approval to the 
Planning and Environment Court.

“The State Development Act already gives all power to a senior 
bureaucrat - who can even decide that an Environmental Impact Statement 
is not required at all - and removes the community’s right to appeal a 
decision it disagrees with.

“That the Premier wants to give /even more/ power to the Co-ordinator 
General and allow only four weeks for proper scrutiny of a proposal to 
occur before approval is given, shows how contemptuous he is of 
community participation in decision making, and how little he really 
cares about investigating the environmental impacts of these major 
infrastructure approvals,” Larissa Waters said.
The Greens would amend the State Development and Public Works 
Organisation Act to ensure that the community is meaningfully consulted 
about major infrastructure proposals that would affect them, and would 
ensure that comprehensive Environmental Impact Statements are always 
required which address whether there are cleaner, greener alternatives 
to the proposal.

For further information contact:

*Larissa Waters, Candidate for Brisbane Central - 0421 844 280, *

*email: *_brisbane-central at qld.greens.org.au 
<mailto:brisbane-central at qld.greens.org.au>_



-- 
www.qld.greens.org.au

State election Spokesperson. Juanita Wheeler 0402 487 110

Queensland Greens media spokespeople.

Climate Change and Indigenous. Drew Hutton 0428 487 110
Human Rights and Environment. Juanita Wheeler 0402 487 110
Transport and Planning. Greg George 0424 725 719

Queensland Greens campaign coordinator.
Ian Gittus 0422 542 370

Office 3846 0862
fax 3844 4654

www.qld.greens.org.au