Press release – 11 March, 20129th March Abbot Point, Queensland. As the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) mission took a final flight over the controversial site of the proposed coal port, Abbot Point, they were reminded that the eyes of millions of Australians will be on them as they decide whether to pronounce the Great Barrier Reef ‘in Danger”.Below them in the sand running across the beach was an 80 metre by 10 metre sign in red letters that read simply, Reef in Danger.
“In the next three weeks Environment Minister, Tony Burke, will decide whether to give the go-ahead to what would become the world’s biggest coal port at the site of Abbot Point – right in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef,” said Erland Howden, Greenpeace Campaigner.
“Allowing this coal port to go ahead would not only destroy this area, it would also result in over 4000 more coal ships a year cutting through the Great Barrier Reef.  If all the planned coal export expansions go ahead on the Queensland coast there would be over 10,000 coal ships cutting through the reef each year. We cannot allow a national treasure and international icon to be destroyed like this,” said Howden.
“The federal government recently announced a Strategic Assessment into the impacts of these developments on the Great Barrier Reef.  Federal Environment Minister, Tony Burke, needs to immediately announce a moratorium on all major industrial developments in the World Heritage Area until the Strategic Assessment has concluded and the full scale of the impacts of the coal export boom are understood.” Concluded Howden
For more information, contact:
Erland Howden mob 0408 255 583
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