Press release – 16 December, 2015Brisbane, 17 December 2015 – Days before a Federal Government decision on dredging in the Great Barrier Reef area, Greenpeace has called on Queensland mines minister, Anthony Lynham, to cut up any dredging paperwork he receives and save the Reef.Greenpeace Australia Pacific activists today presented Mr Lynham’s office with a giant pair of scissors to help him dispatch the Federal Government’s dredging approval paperwork if it lands on his desk.
“This is sheer madness,” said Shani Tager, Greenpeace reef campaigner. “Cut it out,  Mr Lynham. The Queensland Labor Government promised not to go ahead with any dredging of Abbot Point if the Carmichael mine had not achieved financial closure. Don’t slice up your political credibility. It’s time to protect the Reef.”
The proposed dredging at Abbot Point in Queensland is to make way for a coal port to service Adani’s massive Carmichael coal mine, which is yet to receive investment support because of the financial risk it poses amidst sliding coal prices.
“Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt and the government are living in an alternate reality if they truly believe that dredging 61 hectares of untouched marine habitat won’t have far-reaching environmental impacts,” said Ms Tager.
“A muddy plume of sediment will be made from disturbing this area. It will affect nearby reefs and could spread over kilometres to the Great Barrier Reef marine park. It’s like throwing fistfuls of dirt into a fish tank and saying everything will be okay.
“The Reef is is likely to suffer coral bleaching [1] in the wake of this season’s predicted El Nino event, set to be one of the three strongest on record. Anyone can see that industrial activity like dredging is like putting a target on this world heritage area.
“The recently-concluded Paris agreement on climate change signalled clearly that the fossil fuel era is ending, so pushing ahead with the Carmichael coal mine is a total act of folly.
“The Queensland government must stick to its election promise and hold off on any work at Abbot Point, since Adani still doesn’t have the $16 billion in finances it needs for this project,” said Ms Tager.
ENDS
http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/visit-the-reef/current-conditions-on-the-great-barrier-reef/latest-overview-of-current-conditions-on-the-reef