Sand mining key election issue for Greens
GREENS Upper House candidate for Eastern Victoria Mat Morgan, and candidate for Bass Callum Bugbird, have unveiled The Greens plan to protect the Western Port Woodlands. In a statement made on location at one of the contentious sand mine sites, The...
GREENS Upper House candidate for Eastern Victoria Mat Morgan, and candidate for Bass Callum Bugbird, have unveiled The Greens plan to protect the Western Port Woodlands.
In a statement made on location at one of the contentious sand mine sites, The Greens candidates called for an immediate moratorium ‘as a matter of urgency.’
The Greens moratorium would be placed over the Western Port woodlands corridor to halt new mines and mine site expansions, while further research is taken to investigate alternative locations.
Mr Morgan said, “With 4000 constituents and Bass Coast Shire Council all supporting the call to save the woodlands, we are calling for cross-party support for this moratorium as an opportunity for everyone to step back and re-evaluate the situation.”
On top of the moratorium, The Greens will also push for an ‘environmental significance overlay’ to be placed over the whole vegetated corridor.
Greens candidate for Bass Callum Bugbird stated, “Since colonisation, we have cleared at least 66 per cent of Victoria’s native vegetation.
“How the Victorian Labor party can approve the continued expansion of mining in the remnant coastal woodlands of Western Port is nothing short of disgraceful.”
Mr Morgan and Mr Bugbird are vowing to do everything in their power to protect the remnant coastal woodlands, noting “The Greens have been saving our natural environment since before (we were) even born.
“We’re proud to stand here and say that The Greens will protect Western Port woodlands.”
The Greens are proposing that the Victorian government rethink their plan to expand mining in the woodlands, and purchase already cleared land with access to a train line.
With less than three months until the state election, The Greens will be looking to make this a major election issue for Bass.