[Greens-Media] Who's going to press the red button?

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

27 February 2008

Who’s going to press the red button?

Greens MP Sue Pennicuik said in Parliament today that is unclear who will
press the red button to stop dredging if the Port of Melbourne exceeds
environmental limits in the Environmental Management Plan during channel
deepening.

'Pushing the red button is a convoluted and time consuming process,' she
said.

'The Environmental Monitor, Mick Bourke, has said he doesn’t have the power
to stop the dredge or intervene,' she said.

'The Environment Minister has the power to stop the project, but only after
receiving 'advice' from the Monitor, who in turn depends on information
provided by the proponent that environmental limits have been exceeded,'
she said.

'The Minister then considers the advice and reports back to the Monitor, to
tell the dredger to stop,' she said.

'No amount of monitoring or public reporting can overcome the fundamental
flaws of this project,' she said.

'Monitoring won’t save the bay. Stopping dredging will save the bay.'

'Push the red button now.'

Ms Pennicuik was speaking in support of the Liberal’s private members bill
for increased reporting on the channel deepening project.  She emphasized
that support for this bill did not imply that the Greens support channel
deepening, which they continue to oppose.

Further information: Sue Pennicuik 0407 000 270

(See attached file: 080227 Who is going to press the red button.pdf)



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