Scott Sledge, Lois Levey and Greg Reid (Photo and article from Tweed Daily News)
ENVIRONMENTAL group the Northern Rivers Guardians have called for local residents to unite against the Federal Government’s proposed change to the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act.
The changes would repeal an ability for individuals, communities and environmental groups to challenge environmentally damaging projects, leaving only those “directly affected”, such as landholders, able to challenge a decision in court.
It comes after Prime Minister Tony Abbott labelled as “sabotage” a successful challenge by a Queensland conservation group in the Federal Court that halted Adani’s Carmichael coal mine in central Queensland.
Mr Abbott declared in the aftermath it would be “tragic for the wider world” if projects like Adani’s could not proceed because they could be “endlessly frustrated” by environmentalists.
But Scott Sledge, from the Northern Rivers Guardians, said the proposed changes were in conflict with the purpose of having such an Act.
He said that individuals and groups should have the right to voice their concerns over environmentally damaging projects.
“I think it’s just wrong for the government to have a protection act then say you can’t apply it.
The Northern Rivers Guardians are currently working on a petition against the change.
Federal Member for Richmond Justine Elliot also slammed the proposed changes.
“This is yet another unfair attack in Tony Abbott’s relentless war on the environment and the groups that take it upon themselves to protect our community,” she said.