* When helium filled balloons are released, either accidentally or deliberately, they come back to Earth as litter, sometimes hundreds of kilometres away, and threaten wildlife and farm animals. * Birds, whales, sea turtles and other animals, wild and domesticated, have been killed by balloons, mistakingly eating them as jellyfish or other food. * Death occurs slowly through starvation caused by a blocked intestinal tract when the balloon combines with stomach juices. * Plastic disks can cause choking or blockages. * Entanglement in attached streamers also occurs, causing death. * Balloons pose a threat if whole, burst or remnant. * With added chemicals for colour, longevity etc, latex balloons do not biodegrade, and Mylar balloons break up into microplastics. * Helium is a valuable and non-renewable gas, extracted from the Earth’s crust. * It is vital to many medical and scientific applications, such as cooling magnets in MRI machines. * Helium is needlessly wasted when used to inflate party, promotional or ceremonial balloons. * Accidental release occurs far more easily when balloons are inflated with helium. * Just one accidentally released balloon can kill or harm marine or land wildlife. Going without helium filled balloons is one small step we can take to protect wildlife and reduce the impact of human activity on the natural environment.

The Coomera Connector or 2nd M1 freeway is a nonsensical nightmare for the Gold Coast and much of S.E. Queensland. It offers no genuine benefits and will destroy several environmentally important and sensitive areas. In actual fact, this crazy construction idea will make traffic congestion worse. This approach to the problem of expanding populations and the use of cars is like the proverbial fly buzzing in a bottle. I belong to the “No Second M1” group, one of the organisations who oppose this monstrous freeway project, which is being rushed through by the QLD government without due process and proper information being provided to the community. An on/off ramp for this motorway is to be located directly opposite Helensvale High School, which I believe is the second largest school in the state. The construction of this six lane 100 kph motorway, with its on/off ramp would seriously impact the health of everybody there and once complete, its operation would impact both their health and safety along with all the residents living along its route. There is much more opposition to this road than the TMR claim. They decided on what they wanted and then began to consult. They cherry-picked the people who they consulted (initially they only accepted comments from people who used the M1 twice a week or more) and ignored the others. There was one survey of theirs that showed a majority of people against the freeway but they just shelved this. The Palaszczuk government and TMR have totally failed to consider the health and safety of all of the people living next to its path and to nearby school children. The TMR’s whole process resembles something out of the ABC’s satirical program, Utopia. My next-door neighbour is a senior executive at Transurban and he says that the entire project is nonsensical from an engineering and commercial viewpoint in addition to its other drastic flaws. The planned 45 km freeway will kill many koalas, kangaroos, brush turkeys and much other protected wildlife. There are many koalas in this corridor. The TMR are risking a legal class action on the part of the many thousands of people living right next to this corridor for the massive loss in value of their homes. The negative health aspects for these residents are overwhelming due to an intolerable noise and pollution level. In future years, more legal suits are likely due to premature death and chronic ill health on the part of these residents. The transport needs of the Gold Coast could be completely met by upgrading the on/off ramps of the M1 and widening it in several places. Studies, including a well-researched one from Strong Towns in the U.S., have shown that the ill-considered construction of motorways, far from solving traffic congestion, only makes it worse. To top it off this motorway is projected to cost over $2.4 billion of borrowed money. https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2017/10/12/how-to-tame-your-dragon-freeway-edition?rq=motorways Better use of existing infrastructure, including highways, cheaper and better public transport is a long-term solution. The link for our “No 2nd M1” group is https://www.facebook.com/NoSecondM1/ There seems to be a conspiracy of silence on the part of the QLD government, the Opposition and the TMR. Yours Sincerely, John Spencer

A Clean Recovery will make energy cleaner and cheaper, and create more sustainable jobs than dangerous fossil fuels like methane gas. Australia can be a clean energy superpower, proudly exporting energy from our wind, waves and sun. We can power our businesses and homes with solar, make our houses more affordable and energy efficient. We can protect our native animals and restore the natural landscapes that attract so many visitors to our shores. To make it a reality, we need widespread support from key politicians and community members across the country. Sign the petition for clean, affordable energy and climate-friendly jobs for people across the country.

WA most valuable natural resource is our beautiful native environment. The Darling Ranges are rapidly disappearing destroyed by mining and logging. Alcoa is planning on extending their mining operation clearing a further 6700ha of the Darling Ranges. This will put the mine on the doorstep of Jarrahdale and Dwellingup, encompassing almost everything between. All areas of the community and environment will be negatively affected. The ancient forests will forever be destroyed, displacing and killing the native wildlife that depends on it, including the endangered Carnaby’s black cockatoo and the threatened Quoll, worsening Australia’s extinction crisis, Local communities will experience a decrease in air quality will due to dust and particle emissions while Greenhouse gas emissions will increase from the refinery and mining operations. The lost tress will no longer remove carbon from the atmosphere further contributing to climate change. Tourism and recreational activities will reduce through Jarrahdale, Serpentine, North Dandalup and Dwellingup, financially affecting local businesses. Mining employs only 2% of the Australian work force, and mining is moving toward computerised machinery. Alcoa is mining more aluminium than is needed. This is clear by the amount that litters the environment, the recycling of aluminium requires 5% of the energy required to mine it. Reduce mining increase recycling and Save the Darling Ranges. The next generation deserves more than to be left with devitalised soil, overgrown with weeds, devoid of life. The community must come together and make our voices heard to Save the Darling Ranges

Pet dogs can be kept in cages 24/7 in Tasmania without exercise due to badly worded, outdated and unenforceable animal welfare laws. The RSPCA and local councils say that confined dogs is a common problem in Tasmania.

The proposed mining lease includes Bimblebox Nature Refuge's land, which holds a Nature Refuge status due to its environmental value; the status received in 2002 under the Bimblebox Nature Refuge Agreement (category VI IUCN protected area) with the Queensland state government to permanently protect the high conservation values of the property. As Nature Refuges and the protected areas that make up the National Reserve System are not automatically protected from mineral exploration and mining, which in Australia are granted rights over almost all other land uses, the Bimblebox Nature Refuge's owners are in the process of applying for a status of Special Wildlife Reserve due to it is being the last wildlife refuge area in the almost entirely cleared from vegetation Queensland Desert Uplands area. An Environmental Assess Report draft produced shows several species, including endangered Black-throated Finch will be very likely become extinct if the Bimblebox Nature Refuge is destroyed. https://bimblebox.org/about/bimblebox-fact-sheet/

Our native wildlife has lost hectares of native forest in the recent bushfires. To allow logging of our national parks threatens the very survival of our unique Australian Wildlife. We stand on the brink.

AUSTRALIA IS NOT RUNNING OUT OF WATER... IT IS BEING SOLD FOR PROFIT ! Let's stop arguing about whether climate change is real or a hoax, it really doesn't matter any more. Australia is in a catastrophic state of emergency and if these water mis-use practices are not immediately ceased, the situation will become even more disastrous.

The Queensland government has recently announced that it plans to build a four-to-six lane freeway, from Nerang to Eagleby, parallel to the M1 at a cost of many millions. Initially, presumably for purely political reasons, they propose to start the work only through Helensvale and Monterey Keys. Their projected date of commencement was initially stated as July of this year. They have also talked of diverting trucks and other heavy vehicles to this new freeway to take the pressure off the M1. The Queensland government doesn’t even have the money to build new highways west of the MI, in the rapidly growing Logan area. Never mind that there are koalas living in the bushland that forms this corridor through Helensvale. Koalas are becoming rarer and rarer, especially after the terrible bush fires. Never mind that it would only remove 5 to 10 minutes of travel time for commuters between the Gold Coast and Brisbane and shift a bottleneck a bit further north. Never mind the fact that “Build it and they will come” might not apply to web sites but definitely applies to highways. This unfunded stupidity is beyond mere inanity. It belongs in the world of the surrealist insane. Naturally, it would be better for the environment and commuters to improve public transport rather than build roads to nowhere. However, if new roads need to be built they should be planned with a long term vision in mind rather than short term political expediency. The excessive immigration introduced to boost the economy has resulted in strains on infrastructure in various parts of the nation. That said, the commute on the M1 is not one of them. All that needs to be done is to upgrade the various exits (on ramps and off ramps) to reduce queuing traffic. In the event of an accident there are already parallel roads to the M1 for diversions. If, despite environmental concerns, massive highway works were warranted, surely it would be better to build two and three storey freeways as are evident in the US and other countries rather than destroying more and more natural land. Will Australia (especially QLD) become subject to proper governance rather than politically expedient decisions before it really cements itself amongst the rank of Third World nations?

Walker Group has proposed to build 3600 units in the Toondah wetlands in Moreton Bay (a RAMSAR site) which will devastate mangroves, and harm migratory shorebirds, dolphin, dugong, turtle, and koala populations in the area. The former QLD State Newman LNP Government had issued the area a PDA (Priority Development Area) but the current QLD State Labor Government has kept it in place, and the Federal Coalition Government has ignored the advice of its own environmental department on the issue. If built this could also devastate the local economy with increased congestion on our roads, the Cleveland CBD could receive less attention hurting local businesses, and placing more of a burden on the taxpayer to fund for this project despite the concerns of climate change and rising sea levels in an area that could be built on reclaimed wetlands. Local first nations groups have also received hardly any contact or input in the process, as this is an area sensitive to cultural heritage as well. Building such a development could also pose as a noise and potential health risk to nearby residents. For more info please see attached link: (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-12-09/the-developer-the-whistleblower-and-the-minister-toondah-harbour/10487806)

This place ....the Great Australian Bight is very important to the Aboriginal Mirning Tribe in South Australia. Our dream time story comes from this wonderful coast! My grandmothers ancestors grew up along this wonderful untouched pristine coast! We have to give a voice to whales and many other wonderful sea creatures that inhabit along this coast! An oil spill will destroy the coast of Australia for many years to come! We can't risk our ocean!

Protection of the environment and the waterways, the wild population of Dolphins populate in Koombana Bay. The numbers of dolphins have been decreasing as a result of human interactions in Koombana Bay already. What impact will a Marina have upon them should it be constructed?