TO THE HONOURABLE SPEAKER AND MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

The petition of: Concerned residents of the Whitsunday community, citizens of Queensland and Visitors

Draws to the attention of the House: A proposal by Queensland Energy Resources Ltd (QERL) to mine and process the McFarlane oil shale deposit in the Whitsundays, Queensland, 8 km south of Proserpine, 12 km southwest of Airlie Beach, partially overlying the listed Goorganga Wetlands and adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef and Conway National Parks.

Your petitioners therefore request the House to use all your powers to reject the operation of such a mine for the following reasons:

• The granting of such leases will have an irreversible destructive impact on: all residents of the Whitsundays, important rural and tourism industries, the environment and the natural beauty which underpins the sustainable tourism industry, the World Heritage Great Barrier Reef and fisheries and on the health, social and environmental values of the people who live in the Whitsunday region.

• The proposed processing plant will operate 24/7 using experimental technology, releasing unacceptable CO2 and other hazardous emissions causing skin, eye, lung irritation, foul odours and noise problems which would easily reach Proserpine (8km), Airlie Beach (12km) and Whitsunday island resorts.
• QERL is 100% foreign owned, belonging to the Queensland Energy Group. It is likely that the Australian and State governments will bear legal and financial costs if something goes wrong as in Gladstone.
• Groundwater pollution from Acid Sulfate Soils when the mine de-waters the wetlands will permanently threaten the Reef.
• Relocation of infrastructure including Whitsunday Coast Airport, Bruce Highway and railways, to make way for the mine’s infrastructure, will be costly and will affect local industries