A packed forum in Cairns last night sent a resounding message to the federal candidates for Leichhardt - the Far North Queensland community wants strong leadership on Reef protection, climate action and a sustainable future.

More than 100 community members gathered for the Reef, Climate, and Energy Forum, where federal candidates for Leichhardt presented their policies on climate action, Reef protection, and energy affordability.

Hosted by leading Far North Queensland conservation and community groups, the forum provided voters with a rare opportunity to hear directly from candidates and put pressing questions to them ahead of the upcoming federal election.

Candidates in attendance included Labor’s Matt Smith, the Greens’ Phillip Musumeci, and Independent Norman Miller, who each outlined their vision for addressing the key environmental and economic challenges facing the region.

Notably absent were Liberal candidate Jeremy Neal, One Nation's Rob Hicks and Family First’s Les Searle who all declined to attend, missing an opportunity to engage with the community on these crucial issues.

With long term Liberal incumbent Warren Entsch stepping down, Leichhardt is shaping up as a pivotal contest in the federal election.
Community groups are calling on candidates to demonstrate real leadership in addressing climate change and safeguarding the Reef, which underpins thousands of local jobs and the region’s way of life.

Queensland Conservation Council welcomes today's news that work has started on the Jindalba Boardwalk upgrade in Daintree National park. This new 650m long boardwork will ensure all abilities access to one of the most awe inspiring tropical rainforests in the world, the incredible World Heritage listed Daintree National Park.

The Queensland Conservation Council and Queensland Council of Social Service are today calling for energy policy certainty and targeted energy rebates in response to the Australian Energy Regulator's (AER) draft electricity price cap for 2025-26.

The draft determination by the AER shows that renewable energy coming online has put downward pressure on electricity prices, but unreliable coal power stations and rising network costs mean that from 1 July 2025, households and small businesses in South East Queensland could pay 5.8 per cent more for their electricity.

This increase could rise in the final determination if coal generator outages and other factors keep wholesale prices high.

The groups, who are members of the Power Together Coalition, are calling for a well-planned transition to renewable energy as well as targeted electricity rebates while prices remain high.

As Queenslanders wait anxiously for ex-Cyclone Alfred to break up, the Queensland Conservation Council has today warned that our communities can expect more ferocious and frequent extreme weather events if politicians fail to take adequate action on climate change.

Queensland's peak environment body is raising alarm bells about Peter Dutton's nuclear scheme, in particular, which would keep Australians reliant on polluting coal and gas for decades to come.

Read the full report (PDF 7.5mb)

Queensland's resources industry – primarily coal mining and coal seam gas extraction – is responsible for a staggering one third of the state's total greenhouse gas emissions, according to a new report by the Queensland Conservation Council.

The report exposes how toxic fugitive methane emissions from coal mining are the biggest source of climate pollution within the resources sector. Without a proper plan to tackle it, Queensland communities and our vital ecosystems like the Great Barrier Reef and the Channel Country are paying the price.

Addressing fugitive methane emissions through strong climate targets, accurate measurement and on site mitigation is a huge opportunity for both the Federal and State governments to achieve climate action and ensure the state remains competitive in a rapidly decarbonising global economy.

The Queensland Conservation Council will today amplify calls for stronger climate action while commemorating the anniversary of the 2022 floods that inundated Southeast Queensland and Northern New South Wales.

At least 23 people died, and more than 20,000 Queensland homes and businesses were flooded, in the second '1 in 100 year' flooding event in 11 years. Three years on, we are on the cusp of an election where the Federal opposition is pushing a plan to keep us reliant on polluting coal-fired power stations at least for another 20 years, and neither the Australian Government nor the federal opposition has a plan to adequately reduce climate pollution or make communities more resilient to further extreme weather events.

Today at 3:30 PM, community members will gather at Regatta Wharf (543 Coronation Drive) for a roadside action to mark the anniversary of the devastating 2022 floods. The event serves as a stark reminder of the growing threat of climate-fuelled disasters and the urgent need for all parties and candidates to commit to reducing emission in order to protect communities from climate impacts.

Experts say a cableway proposal being pushed by Gold Coast City Council and backed by Queensland Minister for the Environment and Tourism Andrew Powell will risk destroying the World Heritage values the popular destination was created to protect.

Days before public submissions into Minister Powell's 20-year tourism strategy close, Gecko Environment Council and a coalition of groups are urging the Queensland Government to withdraw support for the destructive cableway proposal.

The newly released interim report for the federal inquiry into nuclear power generation shows nuclear energy is too slow and too expensive to be a solution for replacing Queensland's retiring coal-fired power stations.

According to the Queensland Conservation Council, the report lays bare that the Coalition's nuclear scheme is a taxpayer-funded ploy to keep Australia reliant on polluting coal and gas.

The Queensland Conservation Council slams the Crisafulli Government's decision to send a taxpayer-funded coal, oil and gas "trade mission" to the United States and Canada.

The announcement, made by Minister for Natural Resources and Mines, Dale Last, just hours ago, sends yet another signal from the Queensland Government that Queensland's clean energy investment is at risk.

Queensland Conservation Council welcomes comments made by Treasurer and Energy Minister David Janetzki on ABC radio this morning, confirming the government's commitment to keeping progressive coal royalties.

Coal royalties must be used to enable Queensland's transition away from fossil fuels. QCC calls on the Government to now release a plan to deliver the 75% emissions reduction target including continuing to build renewable energy as part of broader election commitments.