Petition to Australian governments and the United Nations to protect the Great Barrier Reef from pollution
- Target:
- One million signitures to the Australian Prime Minister and United Nations
- Region:
- Australia
Expanding the ports and channels of Queensland increases the need for capital maintenance dredging and dredge spoil disposal, an impact that would occur every year for the ports continued operation.
The justification for development and expansion of channels is based on a substantial economic studies relating to the socio-economic viability that port expansion is needed to allow growth in export of natural resources, increased cruise ship tourism and the need to expand marine ports to facilitate development. The ports of Queensland were specifically designed to make and dock small marine ships suitable for the specialized marine environment of the Great Barrier Reef, development of this use would put the reef at risk.
There is no genuine need for expansion and taxpayer’s money would be better spent on other ways to support our tourism and fisheries industries.
If developments are approved on environmental grounds it will send a message that Queensland and Australian government does not respect or look after its natural environment, consequently having a negative impact on tourism and the biodiversity of our marine park.
Having seen the outcomes of the Gladstone dredging project which included major fish kills and human health impacts we have little faith in the ability of the proponent to manage impacts.
The development impacts local environments by decreasing the overall water quality of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area through dumping dredge spoil at sea or in marine park areas, this is an outdated practice and should be phased out, not expanded. We note that new dredge spoil dumping in the Marine Park has been ruled out by State and Federal Governments because of its environmental and economic cost.
The areas of development are situated near Wetlands of national importance, a conservation reserve, Indigenous Protected Area and adjoins an identified fish habitat area with significant seagrass beds. It is unsuitable as a location for capital dredge spoil and dumping.
We call on the Queensland, Federal and International Governments to back their commitments to environmental protection and improving water quality of Great Barrier Reef catchments.
We the signatories ask the governments:
-to consider a detailed environmental impact study based on the likely impact to environmental biodiversity. We note that a similar proposal has been made for Abbot Point port.
-to protect the Great Barrier Reef from the impacts associated with increased shipping.
-to protect wetlands of international significance.
-to reduce pollution of our ocean.
Expanding the ports and channels of Queensland increases the need for capital maintenance dredging and dredge spoil disposal, an impact that would occur every year for the ports continued operation.
The justification for development and expansion of channels is based on a substantial economic studies relating to the socio-economic viability that port expansion is needed to allow growth in export of natural resources, increased cruise ship tourism and the need to expand marine ports to facilitate development. The ports of Queensland were specifically designed to make and dock small marine ships suitable for the specialized marine environment of the Great Barrier Reef, development of this use would put the reef at risk.
There is no genuine need for expansion and taxpayer’s money would be better spent on other ways to support our tourism and fisheries industries.
If developments are approved on environmental grounds it will send a message that Queensland and Australian government does not respect or look after its natural environment, consequently having a negative impact on tourism and the biodiversity of our marine park.
Having seen the outcomes of the Gladstone dredging project which included major fish kills and human health impacts we have little faith in the ability of the proponent to manage impacts.
The development impacts local environments by decreasing the overall water quality of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area through dumping dredge spoil at sea or in marine park areas, this is an outdated practice and should be phased out, not expanded. We note that new dredge spoil dumping in the Marine Park has been ruled out by State and Federal Governments because of its environmental and economic cost.
The areas of development are situated near Wetlands of national importance, a conservation reserve, Indigenous Protected Area and adjoins an identified fish habitat area with significant seagrass beds. It is unsuitable as a location for capital dredge spoil and dumping.
We call on the Queensland, Federal and International Governments to back their commitments to environmental protection and improving water quality of Great Barrier Reef catchments.
We the signatories ask the governments:
-to consider a detailed environmental impact study based on the likely impact to environmental biodiversity. We note that a similar proposal has been made for Abbot Point port.
-to protect the Great Barrier Reef from the impacts associated with increased shipping.
-to protect wetlands of international significance.
-to reduce pollution of our ocean.
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The Petition to Australian governments and the United Nations to protect the Great Barrier Reef from pollution petition to One million signitures to the Australian Prime Minister and United Nations was written by Reef Friends-Reef Kids and is in the category Environment at GoPetition.