Greens who back ALP sink Mary Valley residents

5 September 06 Save the Mary River Coordinating Group

Greens’ ALP preferences angers Mary Valley residents

THE picturesque Mary Valley is doomed to the watery depths of a leaky mega-dam if you believe polling that shows Premier Peter Beattie will romp it in at the coming election on the back of Greens’ preferences from marginal seats.

Anti-dam campaigners believe the only thing that is likely to save the valley is action by the Commonwealth Government to block the proposal on environmental grounds through application of the EPBC Act 1999.

Save the Mary River Coordinating Group spokesman Kevin Ingersole has appealed to people in key marginal seats to understand that a vote for the Greens candidates with Labor preferences is a vote for the Beattie Government, a vote for the Traveston Crossing Dam, and a vote for the potential destruction of the Mary River.

He said there was a widespread belief that some Greens members had used the Mary River issue to support their principled position opposing all dams and that to date, the group had appreciated this support.

“However, it seems now that tens of thousands of voters will be voting for the Greens in some electorates in the mistaken belief that their vote will save the Mary River from devastation,” he said.

“This is absolutely not the case. Greens preferences in certain electorates will go to the Beattie Labor Government and will give a green light to the proposed Traveston Crossing Dam - potentially sealing a death warrant for the Mary River.

“It is now evident that a deal has been done between the Greens and the ALP and that this deal was brokered some weeks ago.”

Mr Ingersole said the group had email correspondence from leading Greens members confirming this to be the case.

“We can no longer remain silent on grubby political deals done behind closed doors and only made public when the opportunity to influence such arrangements has all but disappeared,” he said.

The Greens will recommend direct preferences to the Labor party in 13 seats - Cairns, Chatsworth, Clayfield, Cook, Hervey Bay, Indooroopilly, Maroochydore, Mount Ommaney, Toowoomba North, Kurwongbah, Woodridge, Keppel and Mt Gravatt.

“We appeal to people voting for Greens candidates in these electorates to number all boxes on the ballot paper and put Labor last’” he said.

Save the Mary River Coordinating Group
Support and Information Centre, Kandanga Railway, Ph: 5488 4800
http://www.savethemaryriver.com/
email: savethemaryriver@gmail.com

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