[Greens-Media] National Parks committee heads north

[Ludlam, Scott (Sen R. Siewert)]

Senator Rachel Siewert
Australian Greens Senator for WA

Tuesday, 29 August 2006

National Parks committee heads north

Senator Rachel Siewert is spending several days in the north-west of
Western Australia with the Senate committee conducting the Inquiry into
Australia's national parks, conservation reserves and marine protected
areas.

The Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts
Committee is visiting Shark Bay today, overnighting in Denham and
travelling through the region on Wednesday. The Committee will spend
Thursday conducting hearings in Carnarvon. 

"Shark Bay and Ningaloo Reef are two of the jewels in the Australian
conservation estate," Senator Siewert said. "If development pressures
are handled sensitively we can pass these places on to our children in
good shape."

"I am concerned that proposals like the salt farm in Exmouth Gulf could
have huge impacts on the ecology of the Gulf. At the same time as
Ningaloo Reef is under active consideration for World Heritage listing,
we should be cautious about another mega-development proposal on the
other side of the Gulf."

"This is a great opportunity for local people to showcase their region
to the Senate Committee," Senator Siewert said.


For more information or comment call 0419 914 424
Email senator.siewert at aph.gov.au  |  http://www.rachelsiewert.org.au