Stop sand mining on North Stradbroke Island
The Greens have joined a rapidly growing alliance of indigenous people, local and regional community groups and organizations are calling on the State Government to end sand mining on the island.
This devastation could be stopped tomorrow by the State Government as mining is occurring on expired mining leases, most of them granted originally by the anti-environment Bjelke-Petersen government.
I join with these groups to call on the Bligh government to protect the island’s fragile sand environment by declining to renew these leases and cancel unexpired leases.
Finally, then, Stradbroke Island could have the same sort of protection as those other great sand islands - Moreton and Fraser.
With the population of the Greater Brisbane area doubling since 1990 it is essentail to maximise green space and national parks. This should be the future for North Stradbroke Island with tourism as its major industry.
