Thousands of Maclean bat petitions distributed across the Clarence Valley today

February 22, 2010

Thousands of petitions are being distributed across the Lower Clarence today as part of the campaign to get rid of the bats in Maclean.

Federal MP Luke Hartsuyker said he had written to residents across the Lower Clarence seeking their support. “We need all Clarence Valley residents to get behind this petition but in particular those in the Lower Clarence,” Mr Hartsuyker said. “Canberra needs to understand the depth of feeling on this issue and Janelle Saffin must finally acknowledge that moving the bats is what the community demands.

“This week we draw a line in the sand and say enough is enough. People have to be put before bats and the Federal Minister for the Environment must be given the powers to intervene on this matter. That is what my Private Members Bill aims to achieve. There is no conceivable reason why both the State and Federal Labor continue to hide behind their bureaucracies. The time for buck passing from one department to the next is over. The Maclean bats are a public health issue and this issue needs to be addressed without delay.”

Mr Hartsuyker said Ms Saffin’s recent comments amounted to hollow rhetoric.

“Janelle Saffin has consistently rejected suggestions that the bats should be moved. She has consistently supported the bureaucratic position of co-existence and refusing to back any licence application for the removal of the bats. You have to therefore question her sincerity to now suggest to Maclean igh School High School to lodge a licence application.”

Mr Hartsuyker said Ms Saffin was all at sea regarding her views that Maclean High School could be moved so the bats can remain. "Ms Saffin claimed in last Friday’s Daily Examiner that she never said the school should be moved. But in the very next breath she says that moving the school might be a long term solution. The problem with Janelle Saffin is that her extreme left views place the interests of the bats ahead of the welfare of the people. This is clearly untenable.”