AUSTRALIA QLD: Hill's reef plan welcomed but more needed say Greens
Copyright 2001
AAP NEWSFEED
September 11, 2001
BRISBANE, Sept 11 AAP - Plans by Environment Minister Robert Hill to set water quality targets to protect the Great Barrier Reef were welcomed today by the Queensland Greens.
But it was not enough to swing Green preferences to the coalition in 12 marginal seats in Queensland at the looming federal election, Greens Senate candidate Sarah Moles said.
The Australian Greens yesterday said its preferences in 32 marginal seats nationwide would not automatically go to Labor because the ALP's environment policies were inadequate.
Queensland Greens spokesman Drew Hutton said Greens preferences would go to minor parties if the major parties did not meet the level of environment protection demanded.
In Brisbane yesterday, Senator Hill set a 10-year target to reduce pollution on the Great Barrier Reef after reports showed sediment load deposits had increased 900 per cent.
Ms Moles said today: "While we welcome Senator Hill's announcement, it does not mean Green votes will now go to the the coalition".
She said a commitment to the protocols of the Kyoto agreement on greenhouse gas emissions, and a cap on tree clearing were other essential matters.
"Fifty-two per cent of the land clearing in Queensland over the past two years has occurred in the Queensland section of the Murray-Darling basin in the state's south-west," she said.
Ms Moles said the Greens also wanted tree clearing reduced to no net loss by 2003.
"With 12 marginal seats in Queensland, neither the coalition nor Labor can afford to ignore the issues," she said.