Greens: Report Shows Regulators Fail to Protect GBR (Australia)

The Australian Greens are calling on the Abbott Government to revoke the Abbot Point dredging and dumping approval and to increase compliance staff, following today’s report into Gladstone Harbour slamming poor compliance and monitoring with environmental conditions.

“This report is an indictment on Australia’s environmental management, compliance monitoring was inadequate, records weren’t kept, and complaints about breaches were not followed up,” Australian Greens spokesperson for the environment, Senator Larissa Waters, said.

“The Abbott Government should markedly increase the compliance and enforcement staff within the Environment Department, rather than slashing these vital workers on budget night.

“Given the damning evidence about the poor management of risks to the Gladstone Harbour in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area by both levels of government, Minister Hunt must revoke his approval of 5 million tonnes of dredging and offshore sludge dumping to make Abbot Point one of the world’s largest coal ports.”

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Press Release, May 9, 2014