Greens call on Plibersek to urgently halt bulldozers at Lee Point

2024-04-30

As bulldozers begin to destroy critical habitat at Lee Point in Darwin this morning, the Greens have called on Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek to heed community calls and urgently intervene to protect threatened species, including the Gouldian Finch and the Eastern Curlew from land clearing. 

The Greens have written to the Environment Minister, calling on her to order an urgent moratorium on land clearing. Locals are concerned about the significant impact habitat destruction will have on the home of the threatened Gouldian Finch, of which there are only 2500 left in the wild, and the Larrakia people have concerns about the damage to cultural heritage at Lee Point / Binybara.

Senator Sarah Hanson-Young is Greens Spokesperson for the Environment and visited Lee Point / Binybara earlier this month:

“Lee Point is home for the threatened Gouldian Finch and the critically endangered Eastern Curlew. These are precious threatened species and wildlife - their habitat must be protected.

“The Minister recently made a big splash about saving Eastern Curlew habitat in Toondah Bay in Queensland, but that same critically endangered bird deserves protection in Lee Point Darwin as well.

“With only 2500 of these beautiful Gouldian Finch birds left in the wild, it would be madness to bulldoze their critical habitat. Wiping out a majority of old growth trees at Lee Point that are hundreds of years old threatens the Gouldian Finch and critical habitat in Darwin's last wildlife corridor.

"The deforestation proposed at Lee Point is irresponsible. 

"Reports that land clearing destruction may be happening without the presence of nature spotters and that peaceful protesters are being put in harm's way are concerning.

"People expect the Environment Minister to protect the environment, not approve destruction."