MEDIA RELEASE

Australians reject Abbott Government’s efforts to fast track fracking, dredging and deforestation

 23 July 2014

 The Places You Love Alliance, a coalition of over 42 Australian environment groups, has called on the Abbott Government to abandon its attempt to wind back environmental protections, given they lack popular support and will damage Australia’s environmental assets.

A new poll has found only eleven per cent of people think that there should be less regulation of the impact of major developments on the environment.

The poll, commissioned by the Alliance and conducted by Essential Research, found that 39 per cent of people think we need more regulations, while 27 per cent think that the current regulations are about right.

Glen Klatovsky, Director for the Places You Love Alliance, said that the Government should abandon its attempts to remove the laws that protect Australia’s most iconic environments.

“The Abbott Government is slashing protections for World Heritage areas like the Great Barrier Reef and Tasmania’s forests, as well as our productive farmland and healthy river systems, so mining companies and their mates can dredge, frack and deforest as fast as possible.

“Most Australians think the laws need to be strengthened or left alone.

“There’s certainly a concern that weakening the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act will mean Australia’s most iconic and valuable places will be exposed to unreasonable threats.  The Abbott Government clearly doesn’t think places like the Great Barrier Reef are worth protecting.

“The Great Barrier Reef actually delivers tremendous benefit to local communities, providing $6.3 billion dollars for the Queensland economy and tens of thousands of jobs.

“No one is going to come from around the world to see a massive coal port that was build more quickly because of the government’s pro mining agenda.

“There’s got to be a balance. The current laws provide a level of protection for the environment. Removing these laws will make it easier to dredge, frack and deforest Australia’s most important places.

“We can have a strong economy and healthy environment and that’s what most Australians want.

“It’s only a tiny majority, represented by the Abbott Government, who want to allow more dredging, fracking and deforestation in Australia’s most iconic places,” said Glen Klatovsky.

Environment regulations

 Q. Overall, do you think there needs to be more regulation or less regulation of the impact of major developments on the environment or are current regulations about right?

Essential Research, 23 July 2014

Media contact- Kate Bell: 0414 873 625 

The Sunshine  Coast Environment Council is a member of the Places You Love Alliance