Queensland Opposition Takes Aim at Green Quango

If you ever doubt that we live in a Clown World, just remember that Australian governments use taxpayers’ money to fund organisations whose specific purpose is to oppose government decisions.

“Environmental Defenders Offices” exist purely to stymie developments already approved by governments. In effect, these quangos are taxpayer-funded green lobbyists.

Finally, one political party is prepared to say that enough is enough.
[Queensland] Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington told the Rural Press Club her party would not fund the Environmental Defenders Office, one of 23 community legal centres in Queensland, if it won office on October 31.

“We won’t be supporting any organisation whose own goal is to destroy jobs in Queensland,” Ms Frecklington said.

Frecklington clearly took notice of last May’s Federal election, when the ALP were all-but obliterated in Queensland – a result put squarely down to Queenslanders backing the mining industry (and the Adani coal mine in particular) over green activists.

“This is an organisation which has consistently worked against the approvals process for many construction projects and resource projects.”

Ms Frecklington said 200,000 Queenslanders were without jobs.

Not only are Queenslanders denied opportunities by these silver-tailed greens, but they have to pay for the privilege.

EDOs might try and portray themselves as some kind of white knight legal agency, but the truth is that most often they serve little else than to enable activist lawfare.

In Queensland, the EDO has provided legal assistance to community groups opposing the New Acland coal mine extension outside Toowoomba, Adani’s Carmichael coal mine, the Native Title Act determination on North Stradbroke Island and farmers opposing Clive Palmer’s Waratah coal mine in the Galilee Basin.

Ms Frecklington said the EDO’s decision to support some Darling Downs farmers opposed to the New Acland extension to take the issue to a High Court challenge was one reason she would not fund the group if the LNP won office.

“This is a project that has ticked off every environmental and financial regulation known,” she said.

There is nothing to stop green activists using the courts to try and stymie projects, of course. Just let them do it on their own dime.

Who am I kidding?

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