We support wildlife and habitats by actively campaigning on wildlife issues.

Find out how you can help stop poor decision-making which threatens our natural environment...

• Read the summaries of issues to be better informed about what is happening for wildlife today.
• Find out what Wildlife Queensland is doing to support Australian wildlife and habitats.
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• Use the information we provide to play an active part in Wildlife Queensland's campaigns and other issues.

Details of earlier submissions can be found here.

Relevant State Ministers and various State and Commonwealth agencies.

Throughout 2009 Wildlife Queensland has lobbied hard for the protection of koalas and their habitat, particularly in SEQ. Various submissions have been made for the protection of koalas including but not necessarily limited to the National Koala Conservation and Management Strategy 2009 – 2014, Koala biodiversity offsets policy, SEQ Regional Plan and the Koala State Planning Policy.

Queensland Department of Infrastructure and Planning - December 2009

The supplementary EIS addressed many of the concerns raised by Wildlife Queensland. The projects footprint has been decreased and further fragmentation of vegetation minimized. It is disappointing that raising the wall of the Glebe Weir is a favoured option as a water source and the use of coal seam gas associated waters from western gas fields is no feasible. Wildlife Queensland is still opposed to the project that will have adverse effects on the environment of the region, destroy prime productive agricultural land and its product will impact significantly on climate change.

Biosecurity Queensland - December  2009
                                 
There is support for a stand alone Act embracing all aspects of biosecurity in Queensland. There is concern about where biosecurity Queensland is housed in the Public Service structure and its close affiliation with economically driven agencies within DEEDI in particular Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries. Aspects of biosecurity are second only to loss of habitat in the threats to biodiversity.

Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management - November 2009

Wildlife Queensland expressed concerned that this draft plan will do little to protect our coasts from development that is not ecologically sustainable. The potential impacts of climate change were not adequately addressed.

Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management - October 2009  

Wildlife Queensland expressed concerns that all threats to marine mammals must be addressed in the conservation plan, including the direct and indirect impacts of coastal development and climate change on marine mammals.

Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries - October 2009

This fishery actively supports the export of shark fins in the unsustainable and wasteful global shark fin industry. Wildlife Queensland is opposed to the targeting of vulnerable and particularly high risk species such as sharks.

Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management - October 2009

The Regulatory Impact Statement provided policy objectives and legislative intent for the new legislation as well as considerable discussion on the costs and associated benefits. Many of the concerns raised by Wildlife Queensland appear to have been addressed. However the devil is always in the detail and until the Bill sees the light of day the possibility of significant surprises is always there.

Commonwealth Minister for the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts - October 2009

Wildlife Queensland expressed their opposition to the proposed Rocky Springs Integrated Urban Community Project due to the potential significant impacts on nationally listed species such as the southern sub-species of the black throated finch (listed Endangered under the EPBC Act) and the squatter pigeon (listed as Vulnerable under the EPBC Act). This development also has a huge potential for negative downstream impacts on the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP) and Bowling Green Bay National Park which contains a Ramsar listed site.

Queensland Premier, and relevant State Ministers - September 2009

Wildlife Queensland strongly advocated a halt to sand mining on North Stradbroke Island. Additional areas of the island need to be conserved and added to the protected area estate.

Commonwealth Minister for the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts - September 2009

Wildlife Queensland expressed their strong opposition to the proposed Traveston Crossing Dam for a number of environmental, social, economic and cultural reasons. The Hon Peter Garrett recently rejected the proposed Traveston Crossing Dam based on scientific evidence that it would result in unacceptable impacts on matters of national environment significance.

Queensland Minister for Main Roads - August 2009
 
Wildlife Queensland expressed their strong opposition to the clearing of the road reserve for the upgrade of the stretch of the New England highway between Geham and Hampton due to the significant impacts on biodiversity and the scenic and tourist value of this area. Wildlife Queensland advocated a reduction of the speed limit from 100kmph to 80kmph for this 10km stretch of road. The Minister for Main Roads has announced a new, independent review into the proposed upgrade of the New England Highway would be conducted in order to address concerns of the community.

Queensland Department of Infrastructure and Planning - August 2009

There are a number of LNG projects being proposed for Curtis Island/Gladstone area. Submissions have been made expressing concerns for the adverse impacts on both terrestrial and marine environments. Wildlife Queensland has also expressed major concern about the cumulative impacts of the total number of LNG projects proposed for this area.

Queensland Minister for Infrastructure & Planning, Queensland Premier, Queensland Minister for Climate Change & Sustainability - August 2009

Wildlife Queensland expressed their disappointment that the recommendations proposed by representations of the conservation movement during the 2006 review were not considered. The result is a Bill that unduly favors development at the expense of the environment and fair process.

Tableland Regional Council; relevant State and Commonwealth Ministers - July 2009

Wildlife Queensland submitted comments on the destructive development application to mine the Walsh River. Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) has recently released their concurrency advice to refuse this development application. The proponents may explore legal avenues.

Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management - June 2009

There have been significant advances in the understanding and management of water quality. However despite these advances, the draft policy contains worryingly few new mechanisms to progress the protection of water quality values across the state.

Queensland Premier, Queensland Minister for Climate Change & Sustainability - June 2009

Wildlife Queensland expressed concern about the gift of northern hairy nose wombats to Australia Zoo. An agreement has been signed but no animals have been provided as yet. With the attempts to establish a second colony at St George the need for Australia Zoo participation in the recovery program was questioned at this time.

Commonwealth National Biodiversity Response - May 2009
 
Wildlife Queensland recognised that the current strategy simply has not worked and the decline in biodiversity continues at an ever escalating rate. New approaches must be adopted. There is need for a strategy with a definitive structure that includes actions, targets, time frames and responsible parties.  Such a strategy needed to articulate the conservation investment required for future budgets

Queensland Premier - May 2009
 
Wildlife Queensland submitted their support for the declaration of the Wenlock River under the Wild Rivers Act 2005. Wildlife Queensland asked for greater protection for the Coolibah Springs complex and no exemptions to mining companies such as Rio Tinto and Cape Alumina.

Minister for Climate Change & Sustainability - April 2009

Wildlife Queensland as well as other conservation groups lobbied strongly against the disbandment of the QPWS in one of the more recent restructuring efforts in the former EPA. Not only was such action considered inappropriate it was legally questionable. With the formation of the Department of Environment and Resource Management the QPWS was reinstated and Wildlife Queensland commended Minister Kate Jones and Mr John Bradley, A/Director –General for their actions.

Federal Minister for Environment – March 2009 

Ella Bay is a special coastal wonderland located north of Innisfail which is threatened by a massive urban and tourism development. The Environmental Defenders Office of North Queensland submitted evidence to show sea turtle nesting activity at Ella Bay. Wildlife Queensland submitted comments showing our support for the urgent addition of this evidence and for Minister Garrett to take action and use his powers to revoke and substitute the decisions available to him.

Environmental Protection Agency – March 2009

Wildlife Queensland stated their major concerns with this offsets policy because such policies, if not administered with rigour, may facilitate development in areas where development should not occur. If offsets are to be set there must be a positive gain for conservation. The other major concern is that throughout many parts of Queensland (particularly SEQ and coastal Queensland) there is such a limited supply of particular habitats that there are simply no suitable offsets available.

Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation - February 2009

The Government to find a non-lethal solution to the management of crocodiles. Wildlife Queensland does not support the removal or shooting of crocodiles. If people can not be guided by the abundant signage, cannot be informed from the significant volume of literature, cannot be influenced by recent disastrous events then perhaps people should be restricted from accessing crocodile habitat.

Wildlife Queensland also submitted comments on the Management Plan on the Commercial Harvest and Farming of Crocodiles in Western Australia.

Wildlife Queensland is not opposed to the commercial harvest of super-abundant species such as the red kangaroo, eastern grey kangaroo and the wallaroo. There is no scientific evidence that the saltwater and freshwater crocodile are considered super-abundant species. Wildlife Queensland is therefore opposed to the take of wild crocodiles by means of collection of eggs, hatchlings, sub-adults or adults for ranching and commercial harvest.

Department of Infrastructure and Planning – February 2009

Wildlife Queensland does not support the project, even though we acknowledge Xstrata’ efforts to keep us informed. The project will have adverse effects on the environment, destroy prime, productive agricultural land and its products and production will impact negatively on climate change.

Should the project proceed, environmental monitoring programs must be implemented during the life of the mine and for a period following decommissioning. Such programs must include but not be limited to flora and fauna surveys, ground water monitoring, air shed and soil surveys. There must be a detailed environmental management plan subject to Government scrutiny and reports to the public of any breaches and actions taken to address these issues.