The Howard Government’s arrogance and hypocrisy has reached new heights with its new-found interest in coastal protection.

Just days ago, the Federal Environment Minister, Ian Campbell, approved a massive coastal development at False Cape near Cairns.

Now he’s pretending to be the saviour of our precious coasts.

He can’t have it both ways.

False Cape is a treasure amongst treasures. It is nestled between two World Heritage areas, the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics Rainforests. It is an unspoilt peninsula near the heart of Cairns.

And yet Ian Campbell approved a proposal which could see a 1 500 person residential resort being built on False Cape. Ian Campbell is mismanaging the protection of Australia’s precious natural treasures.

Ian Campbell had the power under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act to stop this development. False Cape is adjacent to two World Heritage areas and contains threatened species, but the Environment Minister let it go ahead.

Ian Campbell’s coastal policy has nothing to do with the environment – it’s all about the Liberal Party flexing its muscles. The message is clear – the Liberal Party will use its Senate powers to bully local communities and override State Governments.

Federal Labor is genuinely committed to tackling inappropriate coastal development. We’ll work with State and local authorities to ensure high quality planning requirements are developed and consistently implemented.

We will work with the Cairns community in opposing the False Cape development, and we call on Ian Campbell to match his rhetoric with action.