33.8 C
Byron Shire
February 15, 2025

Qld government ignored finch extinction risk to approve Adani

Latest News

Farmers’ markets

I’m Louis and I’m ten years old. I love the Byron Farmers Market and have been going all my...

Other News

A human with a purpose

Humans of Purpose is honoured to host David Whyte, internationally-renowned poet, philosopher and speaker in Byron Bay this weekend.

Don’t dump our waste in the dunes say Tweed Shire residents

Residents and community associations in the Pottsville and Cabarita area are calling for an end to sewage discharges into the waterways and to have the cleanest possible effluent discharged to the dunes.

Something extra for NSW nurses and midwives

The NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) has called on the Minns government to put its extra share of federal health funding towards NSW nurses and midwives’ wages.

Greens mayor, Greens MP, at odds over large Mullum DA

Mullumbimby Residents Association (MRA) has ramped up its opposition to a proposal to plonk a three-storey block of units on the town’s flood-prone public carpark, located next to Ottilies Pizza, opposite the roundabout at the town’s entrance.

Protesters opposing RA and police in Lismore

The NSW Reconstruction Authority (RA) is currently attempting to disconnect water supply to nine government-owned houses in Lismore which have been providing shelter to homeless people since May 2024.

Focus off centre around Sam Kerr’s arrest

It feels to me like Sam Kerr is really being pursued and prosecuted for being famous, female, and not white.

A Black Throated Finch. Photo: www.birdway.com.au

According to a report by Birdlife Australia release today the Queensland Government commissioned and then ignored and kept secret key recommendations from an independent scientific review of Adani’s plan to manage the impacts of its Carmichael coal mine on the endangered Black-throated Finch, knowingly risking the extinction of the bird.

The independent review was obtained through Queensland’s Right to Information laws after the Queensland Information Commissioner ordered the state government to release the secret document.

According to #StopAdani the independent scientific review conducted by Melbourne University researchers stated without ambiguity that ‘The Black-throated Finch management plan does not meet the content requirements of an acceptable plan to manage an endangered species’. The review described Adani’s plans to manage the impacts of its coal mine on the endangered bird as ‘superficial and untested’ and not backed by evidence.

Analysis of the independent scientific review and Adani’s Black-throated Finch management plan approved by the Queensland Government found that none of the expert recommendations and findings were acted on before Adani’s plan was approved by the Queensland Government.

The Birdlife Australia report findings and release of the independent scientific advice have prompted calls for the Queensland Government to urgently intervene to prevent further clearing of habitat by Adani says #StopAdani.

Mackay Conservation Group Campaign Manager Sunny Hungerford says: ’The Queensland Government urgently needs to intervene and order Adani to stop clearing habitat of the endangered Black-throated Finch until the independent expert recommendations, which it has so far ignored, are incorporated into Adani’s plan.’

‘Every day that clearing continues under Adani’s dodgy management plan brings the Finch a step closer to extinction. Every hectare of Black throated Finch habitat is critical to the survival of the species and Adani plans to destroy 16,000 football fields of critical habitat.’

‘Queensland’s Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon is failing endangered species by allowing Adani to bulldoze critical habitat without an adequate plan to manage the impacts of its destructive coal mine on the endangered Black-throated Finch.

‘The Queensland Government commissioned scientific advice, ignored that advice, kept it secret, and then allowed Adani to start bulldozing endangered Finch habitat. The Queensland Government knew that scientific experts had warned about the risk of extinction and that Adani’s plan to manage the impacts of its coal mine on the Finch was woefully inadequate.

‘The Queensland Government is allowing the real time extinction of the Black-throated Finch to occur under its watch and must act to safeguard a future for this iconic species. The information in this report indicates to us that Minister Scanlon must act now to halt clearing of habitat on the Adani site.

‘Queenslanders would be shocked and appalled that the Queensland Government is knowingly allowing the Finch to go extinct.’


Support The Echo

Keeping the community together and the community voice loud and clear is what The Echo is about. More than ever we need your help to keep this voice alive and thriving in the community.

Like all businesses we are struggling to keep food on the table of all our local and hard working journalists, artists, sales, delivery and drudges who keep the news coming out to you both in the newspaper and online. If you can spare a few dollars a week – or maybe more – we would appreciate all the support you are able to give to keep the voice of independent, local journalism alive.

1 COMMENT

  1. Typical politics, it’s all about the mighty $ if they can forget about people in there own country, they’re certainly not going to do much about Animals . Adani should be sent packing, they’re a horrid company with an abhorrent record. Go Away Adani you’re not wanted here by many people . .

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Bill and Carol and Mandy

Given the content of Mandy’s story about her parents’ Vietnamese ‘intruder,’ I’d love to have had the opportunity to retitle her story, ‘Empathy, Kindness,...

V-Day welcomes the sun for 2025

Around 140 women came together at Byron's Main Beach this morning to dance, celebrate, and dip into the water as part of the annual...

130 new parking spaces for Tweed Valley Hospital sorely needed

For anyone who has to go to the new Tweed Valley Hospital parking is a significant problem.

Bob Brown to join Mandy Nolan in Murwillumbah

Mandy Nolan will be talking to former Greens leader Bob Brown in Murwillumbah on Friday, February 21 to look at the issues Mandy will be working on if she is elected.