The Queensland Government’s proposal would see millions of tonnes of seafloor dredged and dumped on the nearby Caley Valley wetlands to make way for a new coal port at Abbot Point.
“Environment Minister Greg Hunt is the guardian of our national treasure, the Great Barrier Reef. He must stand up to the coal industry and protect it for all Australians,” said Greenpeace Reef campaigner Shani Tager.
Several major US and European banks have walked away from funding expansion of the Abbot Point coal port and Indian coal company Adani is struggling to find the $16 billion required to build its coal mine, rail line and port.
The global coal price is at a five year low and the Australian Treasury is predicting the slump will continue through 2016[1]. There is real potential that even if Adani obtain finance and build their project, it will become a stranded asset.
“An approval by Minister Hunt now would greenlight dredging on the Reef and bulldozing of Caley Valley wetlands before Adani has produced a cent of the billions needed to make the project real,” said Ms Tager.
“To add insult to injury, Queensland taxpayers may have to foot the bill, paying millions towards dredging and construction of waste ponds on nearby wetlands for a coal port that may never be built.”
“This is a reckless waste of money that will unnecessarily trash our Reef.”
Queensland Government dredging proposal available here
Queensland Government wetland proposal available here
For interviews or more information, contact: Shani Tager, 0427 914 070
Photographs of the Caley Valley wetlands and Abbot Point available at: http://www.greenpeacemedia.org/main.php?g2_itemId=19146 Username: photos Password: green
[1] Treasury’s mid-year fiscal and economic outlook forecasts Australian thermal coal will remain flat through to mid-2016 at around $63 per tonne, challenging the viability of any new coal mines in Australia.