Queensland government formalises Channel Country protections from new oil and gas

Today the Miles government has introduced new regulations designed to protect Queensland's Channel Country rivers and floodplains, one of the last remaining free-flowing desert river systems on Earth, from new oil and gas developments.

Tens of thousands of Queenslanders participated in various consultation processes, with a consistent message to the state government that the Channel Country rivers and floodplains are no place for gas fields, nor the damaging infrastructure that comes with them. In December last year, Premier Steven Miles announced protections for the Queensland Lake Eyre Basin from new oil and gas, and today has delivered on this promise.

Traditional Owners, pastoralists, scientists and environmentalists have been coming together for decades to protect this globally, nationally and locally important river system that feeds Kati-Thanda/Lake Eyre. Today is a historic win for nature, regional communities and the climate.

Queensland Campaigns Manager for the Wilderness Society, Hannah Schuch, said, “Queenslanders from the Channel Country in the far west to the city have been working together for years to protect this global wonder. And today it’s clear that the Miles government has listened—formalising protection of the rivers and floodplains of the Queensland Lake Eyre Basin from destructive oil and gas expansions.

“These new regulations will strengthen and expand protections by banning future oil and gas extraction from the rivers and floodplains and prohibiting existing operations from fracking for unconventional gas.

“The Channel Country rivers and floodplains are world renowned, as one of the last free flowing desert river systems on Earth. It supports an abundance of wildlife and rich cultural connections.

“So while there will still need to be ongoing scrutiny to make sure that these protections do what they’re supposed to, the introduction of these regulations is historic for nature, regional communities and the climate.

“We urge David Crisafulli and the Queensland LNP to continue to support the regional communities and existing industries in the area as well as the hundreds if not thousands of native species that rely on it being healthy and free-flowing to survive.”

For interviews with Hannah Schuch, Queensland Campaigns Manager, please contact Rhiannon Cunningham, media adviser for the Wilderness Society on [email protected] or 0419 992 760