Wilderness Society Cape Campaigner, Kerry Trapnell said, the LNP Government announced the Statutory Regional Plan would protect, by law, Strategic Environment Areas from destructive industrial mining and agriculture.

Now as the March 25 deadline approaches for public comment on the Draft Cape York Regional Plan, the LNP Government is yet to release the regulations that guarantee no mining in all 23 identified SEA.

“Despite the government’s stated intentions and the planned laws there is no detail about how mining will be completely stopped in the high conservation value Strategic Environment Areas,” Mr Trapnell said.

“The government lead by Campbell Newman announced perpetual protection for the Strategic Environmental Areas (SEA) identified by land use mapping in the plan.

“Everyone with an interest in Cape York has been waiting to see the detail of the promised protections.

“The longer we wait the more the announced protections seem like a trick to win votes in marginal seats, including the Ashgrove electorate the premier struggled to win at the last election.”

Mr Trapnell said the World class Laura Rock Art galleries were another high value natural cultural treasure under threat from mining under the regional plan.

The regional plan land use priority map puts places like the world famous split rock public gallery in the general use (green) area, where environmental protection and management is proposed to be reduced compared to current levels, Mr Trapnell said.

“The green areas allow open cut and strip mining, irrigated agricultural and they do not recognize cultural values.

“There is a lack of detail but what we do know is that the regulations will be able to be changed at the whim of government.

“What is needed is a clear unambiguous commitment from Campbell Newman to protect the Strategic Environment Areas from mining forever.”

Read related article:

'Land owners shut out of Cape planning process', February 10, 2014.