Queensland Greens review 2008

The Queensland Greens today noted that the year had been one of ups and downs for Queenslanders concerned about the environment and green issues more broadly.

The highlight of the year for the Queensland Greens was achieving political representation in the Queensland Parliament.

'Ronan Lee's preparedness to take on a major party over their environmental failings absolutely made our year,' Greens spokesperson Libby Connors said in her review of the year.

'He not only bravely faced down the nastiness which emanated from the powerful ALP but gave up a parliamentary secretary position, took a reduction in salary and faced lower superannuation as a result.

"It's not surprising that our local branch rapidly accepted him and endorsed him as the Greens candidate for Indooroopilly given his fantastic record in representing the people of Indooroopilly and standing up for environmental principles.'

The Greens said that they also shared the relief of the Palm Island community when Lex Wotton's sentencing over the Palm Island riot indicated that he would be due for release in July 2010.

But the Green party condemned the Bligh government over its failure to call a royal commission into all events involving the police since the death in custody on Palm Island in 2004.

The Greens did however applaud the government's decision to defer the Traveston Dam.

'That decision came closely upon Ronan Lee's criticism of the government's environmental performance so it is hard to believe it wasn't in response to Lee's joining the Greens.

'Whatever the government's motives, we shared the Mary River Valley residents' joy - we just wish that the Premier had the courage to cancel the dam altogether and we will keep working towards that end in 2009,' Libby Connors promised.

'We also applaud the state government's commitment to keep building essential infrastructure in the face of the international economic meltdown.

'However, we despair over its failure to understand community and environmental needs in relation to that same infrastructure.

'We need more trains and track not more tollways and tunnels which will worsen climate change and that the poor will not be able to afford to use.'

'The premier needs to start thinking of the aged and superannuants who are facing really tough times and who need cheap and accessible public transport wherever they live across the state.

'Included in that group are many Indigenous residents who have still not received underpaid and "stolen" wages.

'While the Rudd government apologised to the stolen generation, the state government perpetuated past Queensland injustices in its dealings on this issue.'

The Queensland Greens said that the state government's support for a record number of new coal mines in 2008 was a blight of international proportions in a world facing climate change.

'Our greatest disappointment in 2008 was to see a government hell-bent on pursuing the same old carbon-polluting policies of the past 150 years.

'In doing so, Anna Bligh is condemning Queensland's remaining wild places such as the Great Barrier Reef.

'She is also selling out our tourism sector for the mining industry which has proved its callous disregard for workers' jobs during the economic downturn.

'We are used to Labor performing badly on the environment but it was very disappointing to see a Labor Government performing so badly on social justice and job issues.'

Dr Libby Connors wished the community a happy and sustainable new year and promised that the Greens would wage their biggest ever state election campaign in 2009.



Contact: Libby Connors 0429 487 110