Conservationists back Labor

by Chris Griffith
Written 20 January 1996

 

my face

 

Queensland's peak environment groups tomorrow are expected to urge Mundingburra voters to support Labor over the Coalition at Saturday's by-election.

Conservation sources yesterday said it was "reasonably likely" the groups would also distribute how-to-vote-cards at polling booths.

Speaking from Townsville, the acting National Campaign Director of the Wilderness Society, Virginia Young, said the groups would base their recommendations on two conservation surveys due to be published today.

It is understood one survey ranked the Australian Women's Party highly, and that Labor outranked the Coalition.

Ms Young yesterday described Mundingburra independent Green candidate Antony Bradshaw as "unrepresentative of environmentalists", and as "another independent".

Mr Bradshaw, who is exchanging preferences with former Labor minister Ken Davies, could not be contacted.

The so-called peak groups -- the Australian Conservation Foundation, the Wilderness Society, and Dr Aila Keto's Australian Rainforest Conservation Society, have sought commitments to a range of environmental issues including the Eastern Cape York Wilderness Zone, forest policy, and coastal management.