If it comes to pass, will the Great Barrier Reef with all its beauty, tourism and fishing, be exchanged for short-term fossil-fuel profits, royalties and the temporary balancing of budgets?
Gladstone is the world's fourth largest coal exporting port; a gas exporting facility is being developed on adjacent Curtis Island. Circumstantial evidence suggests that the increased dredging is disturbing toxic substances which cause human illness, fish deformity and deaths.
In the Gladstone Fish Health Advisory Panel's view "there is an issue of concern around the health of some species of fish in Gladstone Harbour and this is possibly caused by environmental factors".
The regulatory processes of the Queensland and Federal governments for the development, production and export of fossil fuels must be questioned once more in view of the Gladstone Port Corporation's request to remove Gladstone Harbour from the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area; presumably the proponents recognise that the two are incompatible. If incompatible, then protecting the World Heritage Area needs to be the first priority for Federal and State governments.
This would appear not be the case.
Doctors for the Environment Australia has written to Minister Burke expressing health and environmental concerns
ABC Drum
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