Mon 10th Nov 2008:

The state Member for Gympie says anyone who wants to comment on the supplementary environmental impact statement (EIS) for the proposed Traveston Crossing dam should write directly to the Federal Government.

The Liberal-National Party’s David Gibson says while the State Government will eventually release the document publicly, it will not be calling for public submissions on it.

But he says federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett has pledged to read submissions he receives on the project, in south-east Queensland, before making his final decision on whether or not to approve it.

“We’ve seen the arrogance displayed by [Premier] Anna Bligh in her refusal to to take submissions and even just to provide the document to [the] public with regards to the supplementary EIS,” he said.

“So what I’m now encouraging Queenslanders to do is to make submissions directly to the federal Environment Minister.”

The State Government says responses from the councils and government agencies to the supplementary EIS have been received and are now being considered by the coordinator-general.