With Hay Point, Dudgeon Point and Abbot Point, and not to mention the debacle occurring in Gladstone, the people of Mackay and the Whitsundays who are concerned about the Reef cannot afford to waste their votes on either major party according to the Greens candidate for Whitsunday Jonathon Dykyj.
“Now the state government’s coal and gas port developers want to dump millions of tonnes of dredging spoil containing known marine toxins such as acid sulphate soils and heavy metals onto the Reef. ” Mr Dykyj said
“ For a relatively small “fee” this state government is prepared to sell our international treasure and job rich tourism icon to the mining industry as a dump site.
“The irony is that we have the tourism and agriculture ministers (Jan Jarratt and Tim Mulherin), who are meant to be representing our region and their portfolio’s best interests, but are just sitting idly by as this madness continues.
“The government is happy to beat up on poor farmers but will allow the mining sector to continue to rape and pillage our lands and seas.
“Only 11 days ago they released a statement boasting that their reef plan was working. That statement had the audacity to boast that they had reduced sediment flow onto the reef by enforcing better practices on to sugar cane farmers and cattle graziers, who are they trying to kid?
“We must have Green voices in the state parliament if we are to save the Reef, its’ wonderful wildlife and the tens of thousands of jobs that rely on it. ” Mr Dykyj concluded.
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Dredging Today Staff, February 27, 2012; Image: greens