Today in Question Time the Howard Coalition Government refused to rule out development of Queensland’s magnificent Daintree Rainforest.

Warren Truss, National Party MP for Wide Bay in Queensland, said today you could protect the Daintree by developing it.

In Queensland, the Coalition says it wants to develop the Daintree, one of the world’s natural treasures.

In Canberra, the Coalition has provided $5 million to the Australian Rainforest Foundation to protect the Daintree.

Yesterday, the Commonwealth funded Australian Rainforest Foundation had full page advertisements featuring Peter Cosgrove calling for a buyback of Daintree property “to protect this magnificent rainforest”.

Lawrence Springborg has made it very clear that he supports additional development rights in the Daintree.

Lawrence Springborg’s plan to develop the Daintree undermines the Australian Rainforest Foundation’s buy-back program.

John Howard has got to decide if he wants to protect or develop the Daintree – he can’t have it both ways.

John Howard’s silence on this issue is telling.

The Howard Government wants to give the impression it is protecting the Daintree when, in fact, it will probably turn a blind eye to the development of the Daintree if the Coalition is elected in Queensland.