Capricornia Conservation Council fights expansion of Queensland coal industry

The following is a media relase sent to me by Ian Herbert, President of the Capricornia Conservation Council on 21 July 08 - JS

The announcement by Premier Anna Bligh for a Coal Export Port to be built in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area has horrified many people in Central Qld.

In response, CCC is organising a Public Meeting at Yeppoon Town Hall, Normanby Street, at 7 pm on Wed 30 July to allow members of the public to express their views on this issue.

We see this project as a re-run of a similar discredited proposal by Joh Bjelke-Peterson 30 or so years ago. During the 1980s and 1990s there was a long and difficult environmental battle to prevent sand mining in Byfield and Shoalwater Bay which culminated in a Commonwealth Commission of Enquiry. This recommended that Shoalwater Bay's natural values were so high that there should be no sand mining and that the area should be preserved in its natural state under the continuing good management of the Defence Dept.

We are appalled at the Premier's enthusiastic support for this proposal from Waratah Coal, which has been keenly endorsed by Member for Rockhampton Robert Schwarten, and Mayor of Rockhampton Regional Council, Brad Carter. We have not heard a single voice from any member of any level of government in support of the environmental values of Shoalwater Bay.

While it may be some years before this proposal is approved, we believe that all levels of government should be left in no doubt as to the feelings of the community right now. We therefore urge you to attend this crucial meeting.

For further information: contact the Capricornia Conservation Council
PO Box 4011
Rockhampton 4700
phone (07) 4938 1818
ccc[AT]cqnet.com.au

Public meeting to be held at Yeppon Town Hall 7PM Wed 30 July to save Shoalwater Bay and fight Queensland Premier Anna Bligh's plans to expand Queensland's climate-changing coal industry.

See also www.cccqld.org.au, About Coal