Anglesea heathlands should be protected, not handed over to mining giant Alcoa
Tuesday, 22 November 2011
Media release
Environment groups have accused the State Government of failing to justify its decision to renew a 50 year lease that will put control of Anglesea's nationally significant heathlands into the hands of mining giant Alcoa.
"The Anglesea heathlands are one of the richest and most biologically diverse areas in the state," Victorian National Parks Association executive director Matt Ruchel said today.
"They deserve to be protected in our national parks system, and yet today the upper house of State Parliament will pass legislation that will deliver these high conservation heathlands into the hands of a mining company. It makes no sense.
"Once passed the legislation will again hand over control of 6480 hectares of rare Anglesea heathlands to Alcoa and allow the company to expand its coal mining operations by 60% in the area.
"What's worse is that the proposed mining area will be exempt from native vegetation protection regulations, which are designed to avoid, minimise and offset areas of high habitat importance.
"These heathlands are home to more than 700 native plant species, a third of Victoria's native orchid species, four plant species that occur nowhere else on earth, four nationally-listed plant species and 21 species listed at a state level as rare, threatened or endangered," said Mr Ruchel.
"They should be protected in a national park, not exposed to the dangers of coal mine expansion."
The Victorian National Parks Association and local environment group the Geelong Environment Council want the area added to the adjacent Great Otway National Park.
Joan Lindros from the Geelong Environment Council said that both the State Government and Alcoa have clearly and repeatedly said they do not need 90% of the lease area, and have provided no legitimate rationale for not protecting the high conservation value heathlands in the Great Otway National Park.
"These heathlands are home to a host of animals including the endangered New Holland Mouse, Southern Brown Bandicoot, and one of our smallest native marsupials, the White-footed Dunnart," Ms Lindros said.
"They are one of Victoria's most valuable heathland ecosystems and must not be sacrificed or locked up for future expansion of a dirty brown coal mine.
"Alcoa and the State Government need to seize this opportunity and secure the future of the heathlands by making them a unique part of the great tourist destination that is Victoria's Great Ocean Road."
For comment
- Matt Ruchel, VNPA Executive Director - 0418 357 813.
- Joan Lindros, Geelong Environment Council – 0417 100 206.
More information
> Issues paper: Anglesea heathlands and the Great Otway National Park