Today Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has announced her proposed decision to refuse a development in Toondah Harbour’s globally significant Ramsar wetlands.
Greens spokesperson for the Environment, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young:
“This is a huge win for the local community and environment groups that have been fighting for a decade against this development. Building a commercial development on protected wetlands should never have been proposed in the first place.
“This project rejection is an important first step in protecting endangered wildlife from extinction, including the endangered eastern curlew shorebird, dependent on this precious wetland.
“Australians expect the Environment Minister to protect endangered wildlife, and decisions like this should be the norm, not the exception. To protect our endangered wildlife long term, we need strong new environment laws that stop destruction of critical habitat once and for all.”
Queensland Greens Senator, Larissa Waters:
“Dredging 40 hectares of Ramsar-listed wetlands for a canal estate with luxury high-rise residences no one can actually afford, makes no sense, except to the private profits of mega property developers like Walker Corporation.
“The community have made their voices heard, why keep them waiting with a ‘proposed rejection’?
“We are calling on Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek to finally, reject this dodgy project once and for all, and save Toondah Harbour.”