If the Federal Government’s plan to devolve its environment powers to the States goes ahead as planned next year, Campbell Newman will have the final say over whether LNP major donor Clive Palmer will be permitted to turn Bimblebox Nature Refuge into a coal mine.

‘This is yet another example of the grave flaws in the Federal Government’s plan to give up its environmental responsibilities to the States,” said Australian Greens environment spokesperson, Senator Larissa Waters.

“Bimblebox Nature Refuge is a place of outstanding conservation value, but under the Federal Government’s plan its future would be decided by a Premier who claims to be in the coal business, who has just shown his lack of interest in conducting proper environmental assessments with his bungling of the Alpha Coal mine proposal, and who has a conflict of interest when it comes to LNP member and major donor Clive Palmer.

“If the Premier was inclined to grant Bimblebox the protection it deserves, he could do so now by amending Queensland’s Nature Conservation Act to put nature refuges off-limits to mining, making good on his election promise to protect areas of high conservation value from mining.

“But Tony Burke should not wait for the Premier to act.  He should use the powers he is so desperate to be rid of to ensure that the taxpayers’ money that was spent protecting Bimblebox does not disappear into Clive’s mega mine.”