The Newman Government’s new eco-tourism package for Stradbroke Island will be completely undermined by its extension of sand mining on the island last night, say the Australian Greens.
“Last night in Queensland Parliament, Campbell Newman locked in decades more sand mining on Straddie, sidelining Aboriginal and environmental opposition, for the mining company that paid for his election campaign ,” Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens environment spokesperson , said.
“ Now in an obvious attempt to disguise from this environmental and cultural disaster, the Newman Government is touting an eco-tourism package for Straddie.
“If Campbell Newman understands the importance of Straddie’s natural beauty for our sustainable tourism industry, why is he ruining that for an unsustainable industry?
“Anyone who has flown out from Brisbane over beautiful Moreton Bay will have seen how sand mining is already trashing big swathes of Straddie.
“The Enterprise sand mine is right next to an internationally significant wetland and is permanently destroying ancient layered sand dunes and old-growth forest koala habitat.
“Yet not only has Campbell Newman extended the lease for his mining buddies, he has also gutted the environmental conditions attached.
“This is outrageous as the Enterprise sand mine is currently being investigated for incompliance with federal environmental standards.
“I will be asking the federal Environment Department for an urgent update of this investigation through Senate Estimates ,” Senator Waters said.
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Press Release, November 21, 2013