A decison to allow sludge to be dumped of the Great Barrier Reef

[Capricorn1(Tom)]

What's your thoughts....can we do something about this....we have only one planet to live on....what about our kids...been in the development industry all my life....this is so wrong....money...greed to allow sludge to be dumped of the great barrier reef is so wrong...Tom

[FlashDrive (Poppy)]

I don't agree with it.

I lived in Rocky for 30years....went to Yeppoon a lot and up the coast to Airlie Beach....could ruin things for sure....

Flash....

[MortonH]

Agree it's disgraceful.

[casstony]

Behave yourselves guys - talk like that is likely to get you an anti-australian label - wonderful government we have

[Capricorn1(Tom)]

Hi Cassidy...worked for the commonwealth government...state government...local government....self employed half of my working life...don't agree with your comments.....its simple black and white, right and wrong , morality....I'm retired....guess I can speak my mind......thanks for your reply....no I'm not a greenie...cheers Tom

[Hans Tucker (Hans)]

Originally Posted by Capricorn1(Tom)

Hi Cassidy...worked for the commonwealth government...state government...local government....self employed half of my working life...don't agree with your comments.....its simple black and white, right and wrong , morality....I'm retired....guess I can speak my mind......thanks for your reply....no I'm not a greenie...cheers Tom

Ummm..could be that Tony might be being a bit facetious and not intending that his comments be taken seriously...just a possibility.

[casstony]

Hi Tom, hard to get the correct meaning across sometimes, I should be more careful. I was being facetious and referring to the governments tendency to label anyone opposing their position as un-Australian. If they can't kill the reef by dumping dirt on it they'll kill it by warming the ocean.

[Capricorn1(Tom)]

Thanks Hans an Tony for your comments....cheers Tom

[blink138 (Pat)]

you guys voted him in!!
pat

[skysurfer]

On the Dutch national TV news 'NOS Journaal' I heard that a mining company will dump sludge in one of the world largest and vulnerable nature reserves.
Dumping 3 million cubic meters, a cube of sludge with an edge of 144 meters !
I read more detailed information on it in the SMH:

Originally Posted by SMH

They are two of Australia's most celebrated places of natural beauty, sitting at either end of the country. Both are world heritage protected. And in the eyes of conservationists both took significant blows on Friday.

In Australia's north, a final permit was granted to allow the dumping of millions of tonnes of dredging sludge in the waters of the Great Barrier Reef. In the south, the Abbott government confirmed it would seek to remove parts of Tasmania's forest wilderness from the United Nations' world heritage list.

In a long-awaited decision, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority allowed the North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation to dump three million cubic metres of dredge spoil in reef waters as part of its expansion of the Abbot Point coal terminal, north of Bowen.

Here the link :
http://www.smh.com.au/national/grief...131-31sjj.html

Moreover it supports the coal industry which is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas. Particularly in a country with plenty of sunshine for renewable energy.

What do you Aussies think about this ?

[gts055 (Mark)]

An Aust federal government and Qld state gonvernment together with mining companies seeing dollars in export of coal to China. Greg Hunt, career polititian, the most useless Minister for Environment over saw this. Australia has little credibility with activites like this and the killing of mature sharks off Western Australia so people can swim. Japan and whaling for research, at least they eat their "research" catch, Australia shoots and dumps those magnificent ocean predators. hmmm, makes me very angry and now I am grumpy at 6.48am Mark

[AndrewJ]

Hmmm heard more on the radio this morning re the plans for Tasmanian forestry, ( which they have been very quiet on ).
Looks like their mates will be back in there to fill their boots while they can.

I found it hilarious when the person being interviewed stated that you can only have a good environment if you have a strong economy???
They should have asked him if he's been to China recently.


Andrew

[cookie1 (Paul)]

Given what we know for certain it really highlights the archaic leadership we have installed in power. No real surprises I guess, back to the 50's!

I heard Greg Hunt a couple of weeks ago, to paraphrase, "liberal believe in the science of climate change, however, it is to early to draw conclusions and take steps. We need at least another 10-20 years to get solid evidence and avoid taking rash steps."

like !

[casstony]

Originally Posted by blink138

you guys voted him in!!
pat

It's probably more accurate to say that the other mob was voted out and this lot won by default. I'm not sure moving from an incompetent government to an evil one is a good move .

[Camelopardalis (Dunk)]

Let me get this straight...so Australia doesn't have enough other coastline to dump this sludge, they have to go dump it off the greatest marine habitat on earth?

[Paul Haese]

I thought political discussions were against the TOS here?

[casstony]

Originally Posted by Paul Haese

I thought political discussions were against the TOS here?

I suspect the Mods turn a blind eye so long as the discussion remains polite, which is within the spirit of the TOS. The point in banning political discussion is that it tends to go off the rails pretty quickly.

[casstony]

Originally Posted by Camelopardalis

Let me get this straight...so Australia doesn't have enough other coastline to dump this sludge, they have to go dump it off the greatest marine habitat on earth?

There were a number of options for dumping the sludge including dumping it on land but it's cheaper to dump it in the ocean. Hopefully some determined green minded folk will protest and get the dump site changed.

Considering the amount of money to be made from the coal I think they could afford to transport the sludge onto the land with a minor impact on profits.

[Peter.M]

Originally Posted by gts055

An Aust federal government and Qld state gonvernment together with mining companies seeing dollars in export of coal to China. Greg Hunt, career polititian, the most useless Minister for Environment over saw this. Australia has little credibility with activites like this and the killing of mature sharks off Western Australia so people can swim. Japan and whaling for research, at least they eat their "research" catch, Australia shoots and dumps those magnificent ocean predators. hmmm, makes me very angry and now I am grumpy at 6.48am Mark

Ahh yea but people only give a **** about animals if they are majestic or pretty. Who gives a rats about them nasty sharks. What if Japans whaling was studied and found to be sustainable, I for one could not find any reason to oppose it. I suspect that many other people would still be against it.

[The Mekon (John Briggs)]

Lets get this clear, the word is spoil NOT sludge. Spoil is the solid material from dredging and includes sand, shale etc. As I understand they will be moving some material from one part of the barrier reef park to another part. They are not dumping sludge on reefs. The Great Barrier marine Park is an arbitarily drawn area that includes regions that are much like any other part of the coast. I have worked and travelled exensively in this area. If this were to happen in some of the more northerly parts of the reef I would be concerned like many of you. Otherwise get out of your cars, rip out your airconditioners, and go bush. Then I may have respect for your views.