At the state election, Queenslanders will not allow Campbell Newman’s plan, reported today, to sell off our public assets and give the proceeds to big mining companies to destroy our Great Barrier Reef and climate.  

“Campbell Newman wants to sell off Queenslanders’ public assets and give that money to mining magnates, like Clive Palmer, to prop up a dying industry that’s destroying our Reef and climate,” Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens environment spokesperson, said.

The first hearing of the Queensland Senate Inquiry on the Gold Coast today shows why Tony Abbott’s plan to hand federal environmental approval powers to the Newman Government would be a disaster.

“From the Gold Coast’s beaches, to its hinterland, and residential areas in between, the Newman Government is attacking locals’ favourite spots,” Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens environment spokesperson, said.

The Australian Greens congratulate community campaigns to protect the Great Barrier Reef, which have brought about Labor’s change of policy on offshore dumping today.

“Finally Labor has realised that Australians will not accept dumping in our Reef, after Labor failed to refuse the Abbot Point dumping and approved the Gladstone Harbour dumping disaster when in government,” Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens environment spokesperson, said.

The Australian Greens congratulate the Douglas Shire Council for becoming a Lock the Gate supportive shire and opposing coal seam gas.  

“This is wonderful news. It’s excellent to see a local council in Queensland taking leadership to protect their community’s land, water and climate from the big mining companies,” Queensland Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens environment spokesperson, said.

“For such an incredibly biodiverse, unique area, which attracts so much tourism, coal seam gas would be disastrous for Douglas Shire.

The federal Environment Minister is deciding whether dredge spoil can be dumped on or near wetlands on the Great Barrier Reef’s coastline without an environmental impact statement.

“It’s disgraceful that Minister Hunt is deciding whether millions of tonnes of dredge spoil can be dumped on or near the Caley Valley wetlands, bordering the Great Barrier Reef, without even properly assessing the environmental impacts.

The Australian Greens welcome Australian Academy of Science’s strong warning today that the Abbott and Newman governments’ Reef 2050 Plan fails to protect the Great Barrier Reef.

“The science is clear – the Abbott and Newman governments’ plan for our Great Barrier Reef grossly fails this World Heritage Area,” Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens environment spokesperson, said.

The Abbott Government is so desperate to please its big business buddies that it’s making out like there’s progress on the one-stop shop, when actually it’s dead.

“It’s utterly bizarre that the Abbott Government keeps talking about the one-stop shop today, when it’s not even included in its repeal day bill

“The Abbott Government knows that its enabling legislation for the one-stop shop is in the Senate and the Greens have secured the numbers to stop it.

The Australian Greens are calling on Queensland Environment Minister Powell to explain why he met with Deutsche Bank in Germany after the bank ruled out financing the Abbot Point coal port expansion.

The meeting in September was revealed late last night in Senate Estimates as a result of questioning of the federal Environment Department by Queensland Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens environment spokesperson.

The old parties have today refused to support an Australian Greens’ motion calling on the Abbott Government to rule out using federal taxpayer funders to pay the big mining companies to dump their dredge sludge on wetlands for the Abbot Point coal port.

“The Newman Government wants to use state and federal taxpayer money to pay for the big mining companies to dump their sludge spoil in or near the nationally significant Caley Valley wetlands,” Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens environment, spokesperson.

Big business outcry over the Senate saving federal environment protection from Tony Abbott’s one-stop shop shows complete disregard for our most important natural assets, many of which underpin sustainable industries, say the Australian Greens.

“Big business wants to scrap federal environment protections that have been in place for more than 30 years through Tony Abbott’s one-stop shop but thanks to the Greens’ leadership, the Senate won’t let that happen,” Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens environment spokesperson, said.