If you’ve been keeping up with the dredging news through the usual news outlets then you’ll be disappointed by what you may find, that is very little of anything substantial.
Despite ongoing concerns from marine experts, tourism operators, small business owners and Bay-side residents, the Port of Melbourne Corporation insists on going ahead with the dredging at the entrance to the Yarra River. The mouth of the Yarra River is literally a toxic waste dump, which the dredging is going to scoop up and then dump the sludge into an underwater bund.
Does this make sense to you?
It sure doesn’t make any sense to me.
But then this project doesn’t make sense at all. Despite the Port of Melbourne Corporation’s insistence that the project is for the future prosperity of Melbourne, the economic data and modelling shows that there is going to be very little gain. The Brumby ALP Government continues to support the project for economic reasons and refutes any possibility of long term damage being done to Port Phillip Bay. And according to the PoMC the levels of turbidity are within the limits set.
Unfortunately the problems of the dredging won’t be evident immediately.
The problems aren’t about the level of turbidity, they’re about another infrastructure project that will end up doing more harm than good. Surely, there is enough evidence suggesting the project will damage the businesses that rely on the bay for their livelihoods. Will the Victorian Government compensate eco-tourism operators, dive operators, professional and recreational fishing interests and the people that become ill from swimming in supposedly safe water? Unlikely!
So what can you do about this?
Well there is a lot you can, like writing to your local Member of Parliament and detailing your concerns. You can ring talkback radio and explain your concerns and you can support the Blue Wedges group by joining their mailing list and attending their rallies and events.
-
-
-
-
-
As found on
Alex’s Choice News- Climate sceptics versus spin versus science November 13, 2009The media storm over climate sceptics in the Coalition, triggered by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's Lowy Institute speech last Friday and the ABC's Four Corners program on Monday night, is bringing much needed rain for a government whose climate credentials were looking very dry. It has very effectively framed the debate in the Government's super […]
- Why is Rudd going to Copenhagen? November 13, 2009Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said: "Unless and until Mr Rudd is willing to step up to the plate and commit to the safe climate target of 40% emissions cuts, his presence at Copenhagen will only serve to hold back progress towards a meaningful global agreement. "Mr Rudd and his fellow leaders of the rich world are increa […]
- No Road Tunnel, No Freeway rally November 13, 2009
- Climate sceptics versus spin versus science November 13, 2009
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Creative Commons
Alex Schlotzer by Alex Schlotzer is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.5 Australia License.
Based on a work at alexschlotzer.wordpress.com.
