THE Australian Senate has declared its opposition to the proposed Traveston Crossing dam, in a motion supported by all Opposition Senators but not by the government.

Two Queensland Senators, Ian Macdonald and Russell Trood moved the motion, calling on the Queensland Government to shelve the dam proposal forever, with the support of Greens leader Bob Brown.

Manager of Government business in the Senate, the ALP’s Joe Ludwig, said the government was “aware of the decision, announced by the Queensland Government, to delay submitting the Traveston Dam assessment report to the Australian Government so that additional environmental mitigation measures could be fully investigated.

“The Australian Government acknowledges the rigorous consideration being undertaken of the potential environmental impacts of that project,” he said.

Senator Ludwig said it was entirely for Queensland to decide when it wants to proceed with the project and federal assessment would be made “rigorously, transparently and in strict accordance with the objects of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.”

Senator Brown recorded the Greens’“wholehearted support for the motion.”

Senator Macdonald then moved that the Senate “notes the backflip of the Queensland Government deferring construction of the dam and calls on Queensland to ensure protection of the Mary River cod, turtle and Australian lungfish by permanently shelving the proposal.”

The motion was passed, despite government opposition.

Source: The Gympie Times