The Australian Marine Conservation Society has accused multi-national mining companies of breath-taking hypocrisy over calls for ‘tighter port regulations’.
Felicity Wishart, Great Barrier Reef campaign director said calls for tighter port regulation were stunning given the same companies strong push for governments to cut environmental protection legislation or so-called ‘green tape’.
“ The mining companies have been pushing state and federal governments to water down regulation that protects the environment.
“However, in today’s Australian Financial Review, the same companies are egging on government’s to increase regulation to secure their profits.
“83 per cent of these profits are sent overseas. We just get left with the damage to the Reef.
“These companies can’t have it both ways. They can’t call for more regulation to protect their interests while campaigning to cut regulation that protects other people’s interests and the interests of the Great Barrier Reef.
“It’s simply breath-taking. How hypocritical can you be and still maintain a straight face?
“We need to end the special treatment afforded to these companies and reinstate regulations which actually protect assets like the Reef we all rely on and want protected,” said Ms Wishart.
[mappress]
Press Release, July 23, 2013