Queensland scientist Peter Ridd has recently highlighted concerns with the World Heritage listing of the Cape York Peninsula and the potential adverse impacts.
This raises a similar broader issue that is damaging the Australian environment, while also adversely impacting our prosperity.
We are seeing local and international environmental activists allowing their ideologies to dictate sound decision-making and unfortunately, our politicians are fooled by their rhetoric, or frightened to openly oppose it for fear of ‘green’ backlash.
Cape York, as Peter Ridd points out, is no longer in its pre-European state because so-called environmental ‘experts’ will not allow the natural burning that took place centuries ago.
In my region, the southern part of the Murray-Darling Basin, we are at risk of increased flood events and are damaging riverbanks with excessive flows because environmentalists want the Murray River and its environs returned to their ‘natural’ state.
But this is impossible, due to construction of dams and demands from South Australia for massive quantities of water to be sent from one end of the system to the other, regardless of the water loss or damage.
Exacerbating the situation, and I suspect it’s the same in Cape York, are those on the government funding gravy train who live on taxpayer dollars by presenting the information and arguments that suit a political narrative.
From the north of our great country to the south, we are being handicapped by false ideologies led generally by those with little genuine knowledge, no ‘skin in the game’ and unaffected by their ill-informed pursuits.
I welcome the day, if it ever comes, when this changes.
Yours etc.
Shelley Scoullar
Albury
24°C