Labor parks plan delivers on green promise

The Palaszczuk government has announced a new 10-year plan to expand and protect the state’s national parks.

The Palaszczuk government has moved to appease upset green groups before it goes into election caretaker mode next week, unveiling a new 10-year plan to expand and protect national parks.

Environment Minister Leeanne Enoch announced the Queensland Protected Area Strategy 2020-2030 in Springbrook National Park yesterday. It followed outcry from green groups, who had accused the government of failing to deliver a 2017 election promise to protect 17 per cent of wilderness areas.

Only about 8 per cent of the wilderness had been protected so far and environmentalists had called for “ambitious funding” to help make up the shortfall.

A figure of $135m was mooted but the government has committed only $60m, in what Ms Enoch called “an ­initial investment”.

. Minister for Environment and the Great Barrier Reef Leeanne Enoch (centre) with wildlife rangers Clinton Brewer and Emily Wanray. Picture: Nigel Hallett

The funding included an extra $28m to acquire private properties to dedicate as protected areas. A further $8m will be spent helping private landholders establish nature refuges and wildlife reserves on their properties, while the number of Indigenous rangers will also be doubled. More than $5m will go on revitalising national parks, on top of $52.5m in existing funding to improve infrastructure.

Ms Enoch said the government’s environment protection strategy was in contrast to the Campbell Newman administration, which cleared the equivalent of 1000 football fields a day.

She said 51 million people each year visited Queensland’s national parks, which would play a major role in the state’s pandemic recovery.

“They support jobs and industries in our region and provide a connection to nature and culture that is vital to our overall health and wellbeing,” she said.

Green groups said the $60m was a “solid down payment” but more was needed.