The Federal Government should adopt a Senate amendment to the Water Act that protects fertile farming land from mining, according to the Greens.

Senator Brown today successfully moved amendments to the Act originally proposed by the Independent Member for New England, Tony Windsor in the lower house.

"The purchase of Toorale Station by the Commonwealth and NSW Governments is an important step in the process of restoring sustainable flows to the Murray Darling system," Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens water spokesperson said today.

"The 90,000 hectares of high value floodplain has the potential to become an attractive destination as a showcase of our environment and heritage," Senator Siewert said.

"If the Commonwealth and State follow up this investment with active support for local tourism, then they could deliver both a win for the environment and a win for the local community," said Senator Siewert.

Saturday 6 September 2008

Government to shelve its proposal to build the destructive Traveston Crossing Dam on the Mary River.

Senator Brown today joins local residents for the GetUp! Climate Torch Relay, a national campaign for Australia to reduce carbon pollution.

Senator Brown said the dam could lead to the loss of at least three endangered species, and would continue to cause deep community distress and social dislocation.

"The environmental impacts on the Mary River Turtle, the Mary River Cod, the Australian Lungfish, and other endangered species - together with the threat the dam poses to the Great Sandy Strait wetland and the Fraser Island world heritage area are ample grounds for the project to be ruled out under the Commonwealth Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999."