As the Palaszczuk Government marks its first 100 days in office, the Australian Conservation Foundation has commended the Government for engaging on environmental issues and urged it address many ongoing threats to nature in Queensland.
“ACF welcomes the Palaszczuk Government’s re-engagement with civil society and the environment movement,” said ACF’s Andrew Picone.
“We commend the new Government for ending the three-year frenzy of regulation slashing in Queensland, which did nothing for the state and damaged the $10 billion tourism industry, relying as it does on our extraordinary natural assets.
“The Palaszczuk Government’s decision to reinstate the state ban on uranium mining is prudent, popular and environmentally sound.
“We welcome the Government’s commitment to renewable energy and support the goal for Queensland to generate 50 per cent of its power from renewable energy by 2030.
“The appointment of a minister for the Great Barrier Reef and the ban on dredge dumping in the Commonwealth’s Reef Sustainability Plan is welcome. We look forward to the new science-based taskforce making tangible improvements to the Reef’s health.
“But gains on the Reef and climate will be wasted if we don’t look after land and water.
“Land-clearing of forest woodlands across Queensland tripled in the LNP’s three years.
“The Palaszczuk Government’s inaction on clearing after 100 days in office sends the worst possible signal to the world.
“More than 30,000 hectares of Cape York in catchments of the Great Barrier Reef is being cleared right now, destroying biodiversity and massively increasing greenhouse emissions.
“While the Government’s acknowledgment of climate change is welcome, its support for proposed Galilee Basin coal mines is not, because of the damage they would do to nature, drinking water, human health, the Great Barrier Reef and the world’s climate.”
