[Greens-Media] Media release: Newman Government threatens Channel Country wild rivers with coal seam gas

[Vandeleur, Monique (Sen L. Waters)]

Senator Larissa Waters
Senator for Queensland

Media release

Tuesday, 30 July, 2013

Newman Government threatens Channel Country wild rivers with coal seam gas

The Australian Greens are alarmed by reports today that the Newman Government will tomorrow push ahead with plans to roll back wild rivers protection, opening up the Channel Country to coal seam gas exploration.

"The Channel Country's wild rivers are some of the last free flowing rivers in the world and hold significant cultural value for indigenous groups - they are no place for coal seam gas mining, which produces masses of salty wastewater and can cause land subsidence and groundwater depletion and contamination," Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens environment spokesperson, said.

"Channel Country traditional owners are calling for protection for their wild rivers, and despite Premier Newman saying on radio last week that traditional owners would 'have a huge role' in the way forward, it seems the Newman Government is intent on putting the big mining companies first.

"Only the Greens are prepared to stand up to the big mining companies to keep our wild rivers running free.

"The Greens are going to the election with a plan for the federal 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 0419 626 725