Land clearing vote signals sustained campaign – AMCS, Fri 19 August 2016.
“The defeat of the bill to strengthen controls on tree clearing has not resolved the issue. That’s because both the federal and Queensland governments made a commitment to the World Heritage Committee that Queensland would introduce stronger controls on clearing to reduce sediment pollution of the Reef,” said Imogen Zethoven, AMCS Great Barrier Reef Campaign Director.
“Anyone who had hoped this issue would go away now faces a sustained campaign that will grow and define the next state election expected at the end of next year. “Today’s defeat is of course devastating for the Reef’s corals and threatened turtles and dugongs. It’s devastating for the 69,000 people whose jobs depend on a healthy Reef and for people right across the country who care about the Reef – but we won’t be resting for a moment – too much is at stake. “Tree clearing leads to exposed soils and when the rains come, the soil washes into rivers which flow into the Reef’s waters, smothering seagrass meadows in mud, destroying the habitat of threatened turtles and dugongs, and suffocating inshore corals. “Queenslanders and all Australians need confidence that everything possible is being done to save the Great Barrier Reef. “Until we have genuine measures to reduce pollution and improve water quality this issue will not go away”