CONSERVATIONISTS rallied on North Stradbroke Island this morning to protest plans by the federal Coalition to hand federal environmental approval powers to the states.
The protest attracted a crowd of more than 50 people to Straddie’s Main Beach where a large banner, protesting sand mining on the island, was unfurled.
It also attracted the ire of state Natural Resources and Mines Minister Andrew Cripps who said the rally was "grandstanding from green groups" about the future of North Stradbroke Island.
Australian Conservation Foundation organised the rally, which aimed to inform local federal candidates about the Coalition’s plan and reveal findings from a hydrologist’s report.
Former Griffith University geologist and hydrologist Dr Errol Stock found Sibelco’s Enterprise mine had a “measurable” impact on the island’s 18 Mile Swamp wetlands.
Friends of Stradbroke Island commissioned the report, which found Enterprise Mine had made a “substantial” change to the hydrological regime of the wetland.
Australian Conservation Foundation chief executive Don Henry urged the federal government to call in any decision making on the mine’s future expansion.
“Premier Campbell Newman’s threat to expand and extend sand mining on Stradbroke illustrates exactly why environmental approval powers should not be handed to the states - they can’t be trusted to make decisions that look after the national interest,” Mr Henry said.
“Because 18 Mile Swamp is of international significance, the federal government, not the state, should make decisions about its future because it is federal law that protects Ramsar-listed wetlands.
“The Enterprise sand mine was never assessed under the Act, despite it being within metres of internationally recognised Ramsar-listed wetlands.”
The wetlands, recognised internationally for their environmental significance and are on the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance, border the mine on both sides.
Conservationists claim they are a haven for birdlife and home to rare and endangered species including the Wallum Sedgefrog.
Mr Henry also called on all Bowman federal election candidates to “Stand up for Straddie” and push for any expansion of the Enterprise sand mine to be assessed under rigorous federal environment laws.
Straddie miner Sibelco said it had been operating Enterprise Mine since early 2000 in accordance with best practice environmental standards and rehabilitation practices.
Sibelco spokesman Paul Smith said the mine constantly monitored operations and had "extensive environmental data" to prove there was no negative impact on the wetlands.
He said Enterprise operated in accordance with all state and federal legislative requirements and maintained an intensely monitored buffer zone between the mine and the wetland.
"Our mining operations have been closely regulated by successive Queensland governments and no concerns on impacts to matters of national significance have been raised," Mr Smith said.
