Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, Senator Conroy. Tonight's Four Corners looks at the threats to the Great Barrier Reef from coal and coal seam gas ports, including those in Gladstone harbour. The Gladstone environmental disaster has seen vast numbers of turtles, dugongs and fish die and a three-week suspension of fishing in the harbour—all after two million cubic metres of dredging has occurred of the 46 million that has been approved by the minister. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority has expressed extreme concerns about the dredging and has said that it would have an unacceptable impact on marine life and the World Heritage area. The minister's response was to impose water quality conditions, but dredging has had to be suspended three times already when turbidity has gone off the charts in breach of those conditions. Last Friday levels of heavy metals also breached federal water quality guidelines. When will the federal government suspend its approval for this largest ever dredging in the World Heritage area and act to protect the Great Barrier Reef?