[Greens-Media] MEDIA RELEASE: Greens fight to keep wild rivers running free

[Higgins, James (Sen L. Waters)]

Senator Larissa Waters
Senator for Queensland

Media release

Friday, 12 July, 2013

Greens fight to keep wild rivers running free

The Australian Greens announced a plan to protect wild rivers under national environment law today in Cairns.

"In the face of Campbell Newman winding back wild rivers protection and Tony Abbott campaigning on plans to dam northern rivers for the big mining companies and agribusiness, the Greens will fight to keep our wild rivers running free," Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens environment spokesperson, said.

"Mining companies in the Cape are rubbing their hands with glee at the wind-back of wild river protection, removing barriers to bauxite strip-mining and dams in our pristine river catchments.

"Queensland's wild rivers, some of the last free-flowing rivers in the world, support a diversity of iconic Australian landscapes, from the lush rainforests and expansive wetlands of Cape York to the rugged Channel Country, and have significant cultural value for Aboriginal communities.

"Our wild rivers are national treasures and they deserve protection under our national environment law.

"The Greens are going to the election with a plan for the environment department to assess wild rivers for national heritage listing and to give emergency national protection to any wild river under immediate threat.

"Under our plan, all new developments that will significantly impact the natural or cultural values for which each river has been listed will require assessment and approval under our national environment laws.

"Like the original Queensland Wild Rivers Act 2005, which Campbell Newman is repealing, national heritage listing will not stop all development within wild river catchments, but it will mean that any damaging projects would be scrutinised by the federal Environment Minister.

"The plan would cost $10 million annually over the next three years to carry out the assessment and support ongoing wild rivers management and crucially, it will be supported by indigenous wild river rangers," Senator Waters said.

Contact - Monique Vandeleur 0419626725