The first independent scientific investigation of the marine life contamination in Gladstone harbour still hasn’t prompted the Government to suspend the likely cause of the ecological crisis –mass dredging and dumping, Australian Greens environment spokesperson Senator Larissa Waters said today.
“This is the very first scientific study not conducted by the Queensland Government or the Gladstone Ports Corporation, the proponents of the mass dredging and dumping operation in this World Heritage Area, ” Senator Waters said.
“The preliminary report shows an ecosystem in crisis, finding that fish, sharks, crabs and other marine species are still sick, that this widespread multi-species disease is unusual and the likely cause is still happening, rather than the floods from a year ago.
“Instead of acting on this new scientific evidence, the Queensland Government is instead still claiming everything is fine in the harbour, and refusing to suspend the mass dredging and dumping operations, while the Federal Government is continuing to do nothing at all to protect this World Heritage Area.”
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Dredging Today Staff, March 14, 2012; Image: westernbasinportdevelopment