Protection of Bimblebox Nature Refuge and all other nature refuges from mining

Eligibility - Queensland residents
Principal Petitioner:
Fiorella Paola Cassoni
Kerand Station
ALPHA QLD 4724
Total Signatures - 655
Sponsoring Member: Ronan Lee MP
Posting Date: 20/1/2009
Closing Date: 20/3/2009
Tabled Date: 22/4/2009
Responded By: Hon Kate Jones MP on 17/6/2009
TO: The Honourable the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland
This petition of Queensland residents draws to the attention of the House the threat of mining activities to Nature Refuges recognised under the IUCN classification system. The undersigned wish to highlight the historic necessity of protecting water catchments, carbon stores, and what remains of the state's biodiversity on private lands. As such we believe Nature Refuges deserve protection from mining activities that will destroy these increasingly vital conservation areas. There exists a blatant contradictory flaw in state legislation that permits areas deemed worthy of 999 year conservation agreements between state and landholder to be quashed by short-term mining ventures. In particular, we draw attention to 'Bimblebox Nature Refuge' in the Desert Uplands which was part-funded by the Commonwealth National Reserve System Programme, on account of its outstanding floristic values. It has since become a stable base for numerous scientific research projects relevant to the entire bioregion. 'Bimblebox' is now threatened by the development of a large open-cut coal mine. Your petitioners therefore request the House to protected the 'Bimblebox Nature Refuge' along with all Nature Refuges, from future mining activities.