Community groups are disappointed Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has referred a new Central Queensland coal mine that would clear nearly 800 hectares of koala habitat for federal assessment rather than rejecting it outright.
Minister Plibersek quietly referred the Vulcan South coal mine for assessment under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act last Friday.
Under Australian environment laws a Minister can determine a project is “clearly unacceptable” and reject the project before it proceeds to the next stage of assessment.
Environmental Advocacy in Central Queensland director Dr Coral Rowston said, “There are strong precedents for Federal Environment Ministers rejecting projects without referring them for further assessment.
“We argued that the clearing of hundreds of hectares of habitat that is home to endangered animals like the koala and greater glider meant Vitrinite’s Vulcan South project should have been stopped at the first federal hurdle.
“Unfortunately, last Friday, Tanya Plibesek sided with a coal company against koalas.”
Past examples where environment ministers have rejected projects without referring them to for EPBC assessment include:
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Just last month, Minister Plibersek rejected a wind farm assembly project due to the impact it would have on RAMSAR listed wetlands in Victoria.
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In January Minister Plibersek rejected a Woolworths car park due to the threat it posed to a rare orchid on the NSW Central Coast.
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In June 2020, former Minister Sussan Ley determined that the Lotus Creek wind farm in Central Queensland would have 'clearly unacceptable' impacts on koalas and rejected it on that basis.
In January, the Queensland Government granted state approvals to Vulcan South, without requiring an environmental impact statement to be submitted.
Around the same time, the Queensland Environment Department warned mine owner Vitrinite after it contaminated a creek with mine runoff at its neighbouring “Vulcan” project.
Dr Rowston said, “It seems Minister Plibersek is willing to do whatever it takes to protect the environment near Melbourne and NSW’s Central Coast while at the same time allowing threatened species habitat to be cleared here in Central Queensland.
"Minister Plibersek has made the wrong call on this destructive coal mine, she should have rejected it outright for its clearly unacceptable impacts on Queensland's iconic koalas.
“Minister Plibesek’s decision to move this project forward to the next stage indicates that she somehow thinks this level of habitat destruction to dig a new polluting coal mine is acceptable.”
ENDS