Environment horror bill slammed

Thursday, 12 October 2006
Greens slam environment horror bill

The Greens say Environment Minister Ian Campbell's Environment and Heritage Legislation Amendment Bill is a horror bill for environmentalists.

"While most other countries are strengthening green laws, this bill means Australian environment protection will be weaker than at any time since the Whitlam government," Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.

"With these laws Fraser Island would be mined, the Franklin River dammed and the tropical rainforests logged. The exemption from federal environment law for logging of old growth forests in current legislation will spread to other areas and other industries."

"My current legal challenge to the logging of Tasmania's Wielangta Forest because it endangers species would be stymied," Senator Brown said.

"The minister has been honest in listing the first benefactors as 'companies, partnerships or individuals undertaking development...'."

"Campbell should be carrying the green flag into cabinet. Instead he's raised the white flag to deregulate the destruction of Australian heritage," Senator Brown said.

"A first casualty of this bill will be the integrity of the world class rock art on the Burrup Peninsula," Greens Senator Rachel Siewert said.