Australia: GBR is Under Pressure Like Never Before, Say Greens

The Australian Greens are calling on Queensland Resources Council (QRC) to cancel their blatant propaganda campaign as a report out today, commissioned by the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS), shows dredging and dumping will cause significant damage to the Great Barrier Reef.

“This report is yet more evidence showing dredging and dumping for ports and shipping has a major impact on the Great Barrier Reef. QRC should cut their high-rotation television ads and spend that money usefully on fixing the problems they are creating and exacerbating in the Reef,” Australian Greens spokesperson for the environment, Senator Larissa Waters, said.

“This latest mining industry ad campaign is another attempt to distract from the increasing threat the coal and gas industry poses to the Reef, directly from dredging and dumping for new ports, and indirectly from increased temperatures, ocean acidification and extreme weather events from worsening climate change.

“The reef is under pressure like never before – and right at this sensitive period, the Newman and Abbott Governments are letting big mining companies treat this World Heritage Area as a dumping ground for dredge spoil and a shipping highway to export more climate-destroying coal.”

[mappress]

Press Release, May 7, 2014