QUEENSLAND has locked up an expanse of western channel country drained by Lake Eyre, unleashing criticism by miners and farmers that the latest wild rivers declarations were rushed to curry electoral favour with the green movement.
The Queensland Resources Council said listing of the Georgina and Diamantina river catchments happened only two weeks after public submissions closed, with "politically-driven haste".
Farming lobby AgForce also hit out at the state government, which is gearing up for an election early next year, and warned that the declarations could erode rural property values and the livelihood of communities.
"There is no way the minister and her department could have given proper consideration to industry submissions in just two weeks," QRC boss Michael Roche said, in a shot at state Environment Minister Vicky Darling.
The Australian
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