Australia’s largest environment groups have joined forces to fight the planned dumping of dredge waste in Great Barrier Reef waters.
The chief executive officers from WWF-Australia, the Australian Marine Conservation Society, Australian Conservation Foundation, Greenpeace Australia Pacific, Get Up!, and the Humane Society International-Australia have sent a joint letter to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.
WWF-Australia CEO Dermot O’Gorman said the fact that the six conservation groups had combined on this matter indicated it was one of Australia’s most pressing environmental issues.
“ We need to nurse the Reef back to good health not treat it like a dump,” Mr O’Gorman said.
“The world’s best Reef deserves the world’s best protection and we want a total ban on the dumping of dredge spoil in Reef waters.
“It’s harmful to coral, sea grass, fish and other marine creatures and is a totally unacceptable way to treat one of the wonders of the world, ” he said.
In the letter the six CEOs urged GBRMPA chairman Russell Reichelt to refuse a permit that would allow three million cubic metres of Abbot Point dredge spoil to be dumped in the Reef waters.
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Press Release, January 27, 2014