[Greens-Media] Greens see red over channel deepening approval

[susan.pennicuik at parliament.vic.gov.au]

5 February 2008

Greens see red over channel deepening approval

Greens MPs Sue Pennicuik, Greg Barber, and Colleen Hartland wore red to
Parliament today in support of those in the community opposing channel
deepening, and to express their outrage at the arrival of the dredger Queen
of Netherlands last week.

Their anger increased upon hearing that that at 4pm federal environment
minister Peter Garrett had approved channel deepening and that it could
start as early as tomorrow.

'It is clear to me that Minister Garrett cannot have acquainted himself
with all the issues involved. More environmental monitoring and reporting
by the Port will not protect the sensitive Port Phillip Bay environment or
the international sites of significance. In particular, monitoring of the
dredge material grounds will not ensure that toxic material does not escape
into the Bay,' she said.

'This whole environmental assessment process has been a farce,' she said.

'Today in Parliament, I moved to refer the shaky economics of channel
deepening to the state upper house Committee on Finance and Public
Administration, and to introduce a bill to prevent the Port of Melbourne
from depositing toxic material in Port Phillip Bay,' she said.

'This debate is not over. The community is becoming more and more aware
that this project is not economically or environmentally sustainable,' she
said.







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