Greens have power to stop the Traveston Crossing dam now
15th September, 2009
Leader of The Nationals and Federal Member for Wide Bay Warren Truss said today it was time for The Greens to use their power to stop the Traveston Crossing dam.Greens Leader Bob Brown described the proposed dam in The Australian newspaper on Monday, 14 September 2009 as ‘the most damaging project that's conceivable’. Yet it was Green preferences to Labor in the recent Queensland Election that are allowing this dam to proceed.
“If Senator Brown is sincere in his comments, he has the political power to stop the dam now by telling Anna Bligh and Kevin Rudd that The Greens will not entertain any preference deal with the Labor Party until they axe the dam,” Mr Truss said.
“Anna Bligh does not care about the environment, but she and Mr Rudd do care about votes. I would like to think that Senator Brown cares more about the environment than his relationship with the Labor Party.
“If Senator Brown made the traditional Greens — Labor preference deal contingent on Labor dropping the dam, Ms Bligh would be forced to drop it in a heartbeat.
“Senator Brown understands the issue, he has been to the Mary River and he knows that the dam would cause irreversible environmental destruction,” Mr Truss said.
“There are no strategies that can prevent the devastation that would be wreaked upon the endangered Mary River Cod, Mary River Turtle, Giant Barred Frog and the vulnerable Queensland Lungfish should the dam proceed.
“Brisbane’s water crisis is of Anna Bligh’s creation, and in spite of Anna Bligh’s recent spin and hysteria, there are better and cheaper alternatives available to supply water to Brisbane, which make the Traveston Crossing dam unnecessary.
“I ask Senator Brown to unite with the Liberal and National Parties and use his political influence to stop this dam.”
