The Queensland Conservation Council has welcomed Labor’s commitment to introduce an independent environmental protection agency (EPA), calling for a bipartisan approach to ensure environmental criminals are held to account.

The announcement comes following a lengthy campaign by a number of environment and community groups and regional conservation councils across the state and also nationally, as well as peak environment group QCC.

Queensland is the only state in Australia without an EPA, an independent watchdog that enforces laws to protect wildlife and nature, and holds those who break the laws to account.

An independent EPA will play a crucial role in cracking down on the state’s rampant environmental crime, including widescale illegal deforestation. Over the past four years, a whopping 152,100 hectares of unexplained and potentially illegal land clearing has taken place in Queensland - including 8000 hectares of endangered forest.

A strong, well-resourced EPA would ensure environmental crimes like these are swiftly identified and acted on, protecting our iconic wildlife and natural heritage for future generations.

The state’s peak environmental advocacy organisation is calling for the LNP to match the commitment to introduce a well-resourced independent EPA with teeth ahead of the state election in just a few weeks.

David Crisafulli’s comments today that the LNP will keep Queensland’s coal power stations open indefinitely have been condemned by the Queensland Conservation Council.

As Queenslanders await clarity on the LNP’s energy plan, Peter Dutton has today raised the prospect of convincing a future LNP government to change its mind on nuclear power.

While David Crisafulli has rejected nuclear energy, it’s becoming apparent that the clear alternative currently being proposed to the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan is from Peter Dutton.

Crisafulli has yet to present a detailed and transparent energy plan for Queensland, and his reluctance to outline a clear roadmap raises questions about the future of the state’s energy strategy, including the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan.

The Queensland Conservation Council is calling for transparency from David Crisafulli regarding the LNP’s energy plans. Queenslanders deserve clarity on how the party intends to meet the state’s energy needs and emission reduction targets.

The Queensland Conservation Council (QCC) has condemned Vitrinite for potentially illegally clearing over 47 hectares of koala habitat and the mining of coal at the proposed Vulcan South coal mine site without federal approval.

Vitrinite’s application to build the Vulcan South coal mine is still going through Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act assessment, but they have cleared within this area for a test mine.

While Queensland families struggle with soaring energy bills and rising living costs, the state's biggest polluters are being handed tens of millions in taxpayer-funded subsidies.

Kestrel Mine Resources, a profitable coal company, recently received over $70 million from state and federal governments to reduce emissions from one mine, while everyday Queenslanders are left scrambling for modest rebates on solar and energy efficiency programs.

As the Queensland election nears, the Queensland Conservation Council is calling on both parties to prioritise families over wealthy international corporations. Redirecting taxpayer funds into local investments like household energy efficiency and battery programs will provide real benefits to households, lower energy costs, and create a cleaner, more sustainable future for Queensland.

Read the report: Impact of Energy Policy Uncertainty on Queensland's Power Prices (PDF 4.5mb)

The Queensland Conservation Council is today shocked by comments from Opposition Leader David Crisafulli that the LNP would be open to keeping the Callide B coal power station operating past its end-of-life in 2028.

Callide B has been scheduled to close in 2028 for decades. Any move to extend its life would be technically challenging, a disaster for reducing Queensland’s climate pollution and prohibitively expensive.

Crisafulli’s comments today come as a new report finds Queensland power bills could rise by up to $200 in 2028 if the LNP scraps Queensland’s renewable energy targets and not enough renewable energy supply is built to replace the retiring Callide B coal power station.

The analysis by the Queensland Conservation Council found that current policy settings and government investment mean that Queensland is on track to replace Callide B, but wholesale electricity prices could rise by up to 36% if policy uncertainty delays new renewable projects.

The Queensland LNP have not clarified their position on Queensland’s renewable energy targets and have not released an energy plan. This is despite state-wide polling showing that 57% of Queenslanders agree we need to quickly bring online more renewable energy to prevent energy supply shortfalls and bring down power prices.

Queensland Conservation Council welcomes today’s announcement that a Labor Government would create a publicly owned retailer to put people and clean energy before profit, and calls on the Opposition to detail their plans to help Queenslanders realise the benefits of clean energy in emissions reduction and cost savings.

A publicly owned retailer could help put households and consumers at the heart of the future energy system, to unlock the renewable potential of households and communities through batteries, solar and other technologies, to reduce energy bills and slash emissions, addressing both climate change and the rising cost of living.

Conservationists are celebrating the announcement today of two new national parks in Queensland to protect our iconic wildlife including the endangered northern quoll.

The Miles Government announced today it had officially established Queensland’s two newest national parks as well as the state’s second special wildlife reserve and a new conservation park.

The newly created protected areas are:

• Redcliffe Tableland National Park, 10,300 hectares west of Mackay, which contains endangered and of-concern regional ecosystems and is an important habitat for the endangered northern quoll, vulnerable squatter pigeon and other woodland species
• Squirrel Creek National Park, a 6,400ha area about 110km north-west of Brisbane, providing refuge for vulnerable species including the plumed frogmouth and black-breasted buttonquail
• Delaneys Creek Conservation Park about 50 kilometres north of Brisbane, protecting 300ha of habitat for unique flora and fauna including the hairy hazelwood and Richmond birdwing butterfly
• Edgbaston Special Wildlife Reserve, Queensland’s second special wildlife reserve which protects an 8,000 ha area 140km north-east of Longreach

Queensland Conservation Council welcomes this announcement and calls on both sides of government to outline their plans to protect nature ahead of the State Election which is only a few short weeks away.

The Queensland Conservation Council today welcomes news that Australia’s first manufacturing plant for grid-scale batteries is progressing in Maryborough with support from the State Government.

The Queensland Government today announced that their $25 million investment has attracted $40 million of international private funding to help establish a commercial-scale manufacturing facility for iron-flow batteries.

Queensland Conservation Council welcomes today’s election commitment by Queensland Deputy Premier of $139.5 million nature fund investment. This includes $90 million investment in QIC’s Natural Capital Fund, $23.5 million for a stewardship fund for private protected areas, and $20 million to support landholders participating in Natural Capital Markets.