This blog is open to any who wish to comment on Australian society, the state of the environment or political shenanigans at Federal, State and Local Government level.
Not that Des Euen needed any hint that many Yamba and Iluka residents would be against the industrialisation of the Clarence River estuary…..
Facebook, 23 June 2016
Mr. Euen is rather sensitive about the few comments on the Australian Infrastructure Developments Pty LtdFacebook page.
He recently removed comments from two Clarence Valley residents (at least one of whom attended the “summit” he organised at Casino on 2 June 2016) but left his accusations of selfishness against individuals living in the region which would be most affected by this highhanded attempt to make his fortune at the expense of so many ordinary people.
"All
the major economic sectors in the lower Clarence Valley are dependent to a
considerable extent on understanding and protecting the estuary’s and
floodplain’s natural processes and values." [DLWC, Umwelt
(Australia Pty Ltd, 2003, Clarence
Estuary Management Plan: The Clarence Estuary - A Valued Asset]
The economic value of tourism is worth an est. $239.4 million per annum to the Clarence Valley with recreational fishing forming a significant part of the region's income and, in 2010 the commercial fishing industry was worth an est. $92 million annually to the valley.
The economies of the three main towns in the Clarence River estuary are heavily based on commercial and recreational fishing and water-based tourism, with Yamba and Iluka being principal holiday destinations.
Boating is a major
recreational activity, with 90% of recreational boating related to fishing and
61% involving retired people. [Clarence Valley Council, 2003]
Fresh seafood caught locally forms part of the staple diet for many Lower Clarence households.
These are the faces of some of the people who threw a line in the last two months:
However, Australia Infrastructure Developments Pty Ltd and Deakin Capital Pty Ltd - along with Messrs. Des Euen, Thomas Chui, Lee and Nigel Purves - want to destroy this great year-round and holiday lifestyle by lobbying government to allow the construction of a large industrial port covering over 27 per cent of the Clarence River estuary. Thereby severely compromising lower river commercial and recreational fishing grounds with the constant movement in and out of the river of mega ships such as these:
With their bow wave and propeller wash sucking at known seagrass beds as well as riverbanks along the main estuary channels as they pass.
Many of us who live on the river are firmly of the belief that we would rather have
“Fish n Chips not Mega Ships!”
Brief Background
Long before the arrival of Europeans in the area, local Bundjalung people were fishing the waters of the 'big river' for oysters and fish, as evidenced by the large middens found along the river banks and coastline. The first settlers to the area found a bountiful river surrounded by dense subtropical forests and swamps flowing out to the coastline. Fish were easy to come by and made up an important food source for the early settlers who set about developing forestry and farming in the area. Grafton was established in the 1850’s with the river being a principal source of transport. The introduction of sheep grazing to the area occurred in the late 1850’s and sugar cane farming was carried out as early as 1868 (Anon, 1980a). A small commercial fishery had its beginnings in 1862 when fish were caught to supply workers and their families employed in the construction of the river entrance works. This major project was designed to provide safe navigation for the coastal steamers that traded upriver. Commercial fishermen were supplying fish to the local market by the 1870’s, particularly seasonal fishing for mullet, which was an important local industry supplying the Grafton market (Anon, 1880). The fishing industry began in earnest in 1884 when shipments of fish were sent to Sydney twice a week, weather permitting. The fish, mainly whiting, bream, flat tailed mullet and flathead were packed in ice in large insulated boxes. The boxes were then reused to bring ice on the return trip (Anon, 1994). [Fisheries Research and Development Corporation, A socio—economic evaluation of the commercial fishing industry in the Ballina, Clarence and Coffs Harbour regions, 2009]
oThe commercial industry in Northern NSW provides about one-third of the product (fish) landed in the whole of NSW.
oAn assessment of fish stocks in NSW indicated most fisheries are probably sustainable but that there should be no expansion of catches.
oThe economic modelling results demonstrated that the industry provides quantifiable economic benefits to the Northern NSW region in the form of output, income, employment and value added (gross regional product).
oThe combined harvesting and processing sectors of the industry in Northern NSW provided total flow-on effects of $216 million derived from output, $36.1 million in income, 933 employment positions and $75.5 million in value added.
oTwo-thirds of the money generated by the operation of the industry is spent in the local and regional economies.
oCommercial fishing activity in the Clarence River occurs in the Estuary General and Estuary Trawl Fisheries.
oThe ocean fleet has home port facilities in both Yamba and Iluka.
oThe Clarence River Fishermen's Co-op operates two depots with Maclean primarily processing catch from the river fishery and Iluka processing catch from the offshore fishery.
oOcean Hauling was one of the earliest fisheries to be utilised on the beaches in the Clarence district and continues to be an important fishery in the area.
[Fisheries Research and Development Corporation, 2009 & Clarence Valley Council, 2016]
oIn 2010 Clarence Valley Council estimates that the commercial fishing industry is now worth over $92 million and generates over 430 jobs, while the recreational fishing industry which forms a large part of the $280 million tourism industry in the Valley generates much of the economic base of Yamba, Iluka and Maclean.
oDue to tourism Yamba and Iluka regularly double their population during major holiday periods and many retired and family holiday makers are thought to be drawn to the area by fishing and other recreational opportunities on the river.
oCommercial ocean fish and crustacean species both breed and feed in the Clarence River estuary system.
[J.M. Melville, Submission to the Inquiry into the impact of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan on Regional Australia, No. 177, December 2010]
All the
major economic sectors in the lower Clarence Valley are dependent to a
considerable extent on understanding and protecting the estuary’s and
floodplain’s natural processes and values…..
The
outstanding threat nominated by the Maclean group was population growth and
urban development, particularly where this is located close to the estuary.
This is an interesting result, given that the Clarence overall is not an
urbanised waterway. It may reflect the rapid changes that are occurring in
Yamba, and the view in the community that further growth in this area will
require major sustainability issues to be addressed. The appropriate growth
rate and style of development in Yamba has been a major source of discussion
for residents in the lower Clarence, especially in response to Council’s
interpretation of the results of its community survey on the future of Yamba.
Several other frequently nominated threats were examples of the types of
threats that are associated with poorly managed urban growth that exceeds the
capability of the natural system. Declining health of the estuary (from any
cause) was perceived as a major threat by the lower Clarence community,
acknowledging the high economic dependence on estuary health in this area.
Des Euen and ‘friend’ on the Iluka side of the Clarence River mouth at an unspecified date
There is obviously one born every minute somewhere in the world and on 26 May 2016 it was the turn of the National Party's Luke Bodley of Realo Group Pty Ltd to step into the limelight and be recognised .
Here he is on Facebook promoting a proposal to destroy existing environmental, cultural, social and economic values in the Clarence River estuary:
And who is he doing this promotion for? Why for a $1 shelf company, with no apparent business address (instead using the address of the Minter Group), no listed business phone number and, most importantly, no local, state or federal government support.
According to Mr. Euen the indicative timeline will see Stage 1 of this approx. 36 sq km super-port operational sometime in 2018 - even though not one of the required in-depth reports has been generated to date by AID Australia, no planning application has been submitted yet and no comprehensive surveying undertaken. He laughably states the entire proposed port infrastructure will be completed in around twelve years.
I wonder if Mr. Bodley has ever puzzled over the fact that there is no roar of support emanating from the Clarence Valley for these personal projects of former Queensland truck driver Desmond John Thomas Euen? Has he thought about why an infrastructure 'plan' that has been hawked around the country for at least the last four to five years has been unable to gain official support in all that time from either local, state or federal governments? Or wondered why Euen isn't holding his "summit" in the area covered by the lynch-pin in his grandiose plan, the Lower Clarence?
Perhaps this Google Earth snapshot of what the lowest section of the Clarence River estuary looks like today might give him a hint:
What this image shows is a river from the mouth to Harwood which has been held under Native Title since 2015 and an approach to the river partially blocked by a culturally & spiritually significant coffee rock reef which is the indigenous ancestor Dirrangun.
There are also oyster leases and aquaculture ponds within the estuary.
This snapshot covers part of the range of one of only two river-dwelling dolphin pods on the east coast of Australia and one which successfully co-exists with the tourism-reliant small towns of Yamba, Iluka and Maclean, as well as with the many domestic and international yachts and other pleasure boats which use the lower river.
In 2006-07 the people of the Clarence Valley successfully fought off a Howard Government proposal to dam and divert water from the Clarence River catchment for the benefit of mining, agricultural irrigation and land development interests in the Murray Darling Basin and southern Queensland.
That fight was part of the reason why Australia’s federal government changed in 2007.
As late as 30 May 2016 Nationals MP for Clarence and Parliamentary Secretary for the North Coast, Chris Gulapatis, has this to say in response to Euen's scheming:
While even Des Euen himself recently told The Daily Examiner that it is NSW Government policy to direct import-export sea freight to the major ports of Port Jackson, Port Botany, Port Kembla and the
Port of Newcastle. UPDATE North Coast Voices received this email today: North Coast Voices Blog - Correction of information required
From:redacted [mailto:redacted@gnfrealestate.com.au] Sent: Wednesday, 8 June 2016 1:59 PM To: northcoastvoices@gmail.com Cc: Darren Perkins Subject: North Coast Voices Blog - Correction of information required
Good afternoon,
With regard to the below blog link for North Coast Voices,
Luke Bodley ceased employment with GNF Real Estate Pty Ltd on the 28th
April 2016. We request that the mention of George & Fuhrmann Real Estate be
removed from the article.
However Luke Bodley was still listed as part of this real estate company's Casino staff as at 2.28PM on 8 June 2016:
When there is public evidence online that Mr. Bodley is no longer associated with this company the mention will be removed from the body of the post, but the correspondence and comment will remain.
On 2 June 2016 Desmond John Thomas Euen will be holding a “summit” at the Returned Servicemen's Memorial Club in Casino NSW. This A “Key” Nation Building
Infrastructure Plan Summit holds the promise of containing more spin than the federal election campaign.
Des Euen’s
grand plans get little media coverage in the Northern Rivers and what it does
must give this Queensland fantasist little comfort.
This is an
example of the Clarence Valley’s enthusiasm for a coal loading facility in the
Clarence River estuary, published on the front page of The Daily Examiner on 27 May 2014:
The
idea of establishing the Port of Yamba as the centre of a massive
transport hub on the northern NSW coast has surfaced again.
The
proposal, labelled the YPR Project, is the brainchild of Desmond John Thomas Euen,
the managing director of the $1, one share company Australian Infrastructure
Developments.
It
aims to create a transport network linking the coalfields in the north-west of
the state to an international port in Yamba, all funded by private equity.
The
YPR website claims it will be ready to make a big announcement next month.
"YPR
(AUST) Pty Ltd is currently in dialog with the relevant departments of both the
NSW and Federal Government."
"THE
company expects to be in position to submit development plans and financial
endorsements by June 2014," it read.
The
news has sparked alarm in the conservation movement, with Lock the Gate
activists promising to fight any attempts to set up infrastructure for a
massive port in the Clarence River estuary.
But
an expert in the field believes the "common sense test" rules it out.
Harwood
Marine managing director Ross Roberts said he had been following Mr Euen's
plans but had spotted some major flaws.
"Anyone
can come up with big ideas and put them forward," he said. "But when
they do, they have to pass the common sense test.
"The
first thing you ask is: who is going to pay for it and then why would you want
to do it?"
Mr
Roberts said the current economy was contracting, so finding people willing to
stump up the amount of money required would be hard.
"The
other question is why?" he said. "In 1990 there were 22 ships
operating out of the port, now there are none. That has to tell you something."
Mr
Roberts, who does marine industry business around the world, said the Clarence
estuary contained 100 islands and nowhere on the planet had he seen an attempt
to create a huge port in such an area.
"Dealing
with floods would be the first worry," he said. "Do they build up all
the islands by a metre? Then where does that water go in flood?"
Mr Euen claims
to be in talks with Federal and NSW government departments, but these claims
seem exaggerated.
Last
year Mr Euen met with a senior policy adviser from the office of
Duncan Gay, the NSW Minister for Roads and Ports.
The
minister's office said a senior staff member met with Mr Euen, who
signalled an intention to submit a proposal, but did not receive the ministry's
in-principal support.
The
Daily Examiner contacted Mr Euen, who said he would be happy to outline
the plans at "a mutually convenient time".
A sample of unfavourable
comments left under the online article:
NO,NO,NO. In my opinion
if this was to go ahead Yamba would be ruined. Maybe Mr Euen should look at why
vessels have left the port. It would not have anything to do with siltation
would it? Just take a look at what has happened in QLD with their coal loader
and the subsequent pollution of the Great Barrier Reef. Who has the money to
build this or is he in discussions with the Chinese who are after the CSG and
anything else they can get their hands on.
Does anyone really think
this is something more than a dream?
Have a look at the YPR website, google a few things and tell me you can see any
of this happening, forget the cost involved, and the environmental destruction.
Port of Yamba Depths. "Shipping channel depths are maintained at 4.0
metres"
"..... the deepening of the Suez Canal from 18 m (60ft) to 20 m (66ft) in
2009 permits most capesize vessels to pass through it."
Capesize bulk carriers. "Due to their large dimensions and deep draughts,
capesize ships are suitable to serve only large ports with deep water terminals
in the world. As a result, they can serve a comparatively small number of ports
in the world."
Probably going to need a little dredging to get those to carriers into the
Clarence.
Maybe Clive can get onto this, something to spend his billions on after he
finishes the Titanic II?
Mr. Euen is expecting that ships of Post-Panamax and Capesize will come into
his proposed port.
Post-Panamax ships are larger than 294,13 m (965 ft) long, 32,31 m (106 ft)
wide and have draughts in excess of 12,04 m (39.5 ft).
Capesize ships are very large and ultra large cargo vessels with a capacity
over 150,000 DWT. They are categorised under VLCC,ULCC, VLOC and ULOC and can
be as large as 400,000 DWT or even more. They serve regions with largest
deepwater terminals in the world and are primarily used for transporting coal
and iron ore. Because of their giant size, they are suitable to serve only a
small number of ports with deepwater terminals.
I won't be parting with
any of my savings for such a scheme - nor would I advise anyone else to
contribute a cent toward anything connected to it.
Not that Mr.
Euen doesn’t have a gift for convincing the gullible, as this excerpt from a Queensland
Bauxite Limited 4 March 2016announcement
demonstrates:
I wonder if Queensland Bauxite can hear the laughter coming from south of the QLD-NSW border? For readers who have never sighted Des Euan's unrealistic and ever expanding grand plan for Goodwood, Chatsworth and Palmers islands, as well as for lands on the Iluka side of the Clarence River estuary and the Mororo district, here it is all neatly laid out:
Letter from Clarence
Valley Council Mayor Richie Williamson to John Hagger posted on Clarence
Forum 24 May 2016:
“Dear
Mr. Hagger,
Thank you for your email regarding the Australian Infrastructure Development
(AID) letter of support and whether it was signed by me.
It
seems the letter (which was signed by me in 2011) is being used to grossly
misrepresent the truth as the letter is about a different proposal all
together. I also draw your attention to the top of the letter, dated 11/2/2011,
which thanks Mr Euen for presenting his proposal, which was “The Trans Seaport
Eastern Integrated Land Proposal” my recall was that this proposal was about
transporting containers via the road network to and from the Port of Yamba from
Port Kembla and Brisbane, hence the reference to the Pacific Highway upgrade
and other road transport businesses that council had worked with in the past.
The letter does not support this proposal, but the larger “transport hub” idea
that I know you have also supported in the past.
The
letter is in no way supporting the current AID proposal around rail from inland
NSW to the Port of Yamba. Any claim by AID of my support is strongly rejected
by me; in fact, I have been completely opposed to the rail proposal from the
first time I heard of it.
I
stress Council has given no written letter of support to the present AID
proposal and would be, in my view, highly unlikely to provide such a letter.
I also
note the claim that; “I and/or a council officer attended a meeting recently in
the Namoi district regarding the current AID proposal” is completely untrue and
false.
I hope
this clarifies this matter.
Richie"
The original
list of invitees to the Euen “summit” posted at Linked in,
courtesy of Google
Cache on 11 May 2016:
Deputy
Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce MP
The Hon
Darren Chester MP the Federal Minister for Transport and Regional Development
Leader
of the Opposition Bill Shorten MP
The Hon
Anthony Albanese MP Shadow Minister for Transport and Infrastructure
[
this would be an opportune time for both parties to show bipartisan support for
private enterprise funded regional and nation building infrastructure
development]
Premier
of NSW The Hon Mike Baird MP and/or NSW Deputy Premier
NSW
Minister for Regional Development and Infrastructure Andrew Constance MP
NSW
Trade and Investment
Transport
for NSW
INNSW
IA
(Infrastructure Australia)
ACTU
President Ged Kearney
National
Farmers Federation
NSW
Farmers Association
Qld
Farmers Association
Victorian
Farmers Association
Riverina
Inland Rail Alliance Group
Namoi
Cotton Farmers and other Regional Industry peak bodies as they come to hand.
Courtesy of Australian Minister for the Environment, Liberal MP Greg Hunt, and an overly compliant NSW Minister for Primary Industries, Nationals MLC Niall Blair, the Dutch-owned and operated super trawlerGeelong Star is once more unsustainably harvesting NSW waters.
As small pelagic fishing grounds extend from the east coast of Tasmania and Victoria all the way up the New South Wales coast and into the waters of southern Queensland, the fact that the Abbott-Turnbull Government allowed this factory ship into Commonwealth waters when the former Labor Government had denied access to such super trawlers is something to consider between now and 2 July 2016.
SPOTTED: Bermagui based commercial fisherman Jason Moyce spotted the Geelong Star working the bait grounds at 12-Mile Reef on the morning of Friday, May 13.
Moves to open more water to the controversial factory trawler Geelong Star don’t appear to have discouraged her from working grounds of Narooma and Bermagui.
The mid-water trawler appears to working off Bermagui right now in direct contravention to promises to keep away from the Canberra Yellowfin Tuna Tournament on this weekend.
Bermagui-based commercial fisherman Jason Moyce spotted the Geelong Star working the bait grounds at 12-Mile Reef on the morning of Friday, May 13.
Mr Moyce posted a photo of the trawler on social media commenting: “Doing its fourth lap of the 12... Doing 1-mile shots and then winching up! Smashing it!”.
The vessel is working the productive grounds off Bermagui on the day before the Canberra Yellowfin Tuna Tournament begins, contrary to the Small Pelagic Fishing Industry Association’s promise to keep away from game fishing tournaments.
And the continued focus of the trawler on the bait grounds off Bermagui and Narooma is raising concerns among game fishermen worried about localised depletion of fish stocks and also the economic impact of the vessel on local small towns reliant on game fishing……
This billionare Gautam Adaniand his family, through majority ownership of the Adani Group, are apparently considered favouredforeign investors byboth the Abbott-Turnbull Federal Government and successive Queensland Governments.
Investigators have raised concerns about some of Adani enterprise's dealings with politicians and officials. In August the Auditor-General named Adani Power as one of the companies that received coal deposits from the Government at well below market rates. Gautam Adani declined our request for an interview, but the companies Australian CEO says Adani enterprises has always acted in accordance with the law…..
The Central Bureau of Investigation is now probing allegations of corruption and has opened files on at least seven unnamed companies. The Auditor-General says the lack of a transparent bidding process cost the Government $33 billion in lost revenue…..
Former Chief Justice Santosh Hegde is a well-known anti-corruption campaigner. Last year in his final act as Karnataka State Ombudsman, he released a detail report into the theft of iron ore by numerous companies which cost the state $3 billion in royalties. Justice Hegde's report found Adani Enterprises acted corruptly in the illicit transportation of iron ore in excess of the permitted quantity…..
Justice Hegde's report says the officials of ports department, custom, police, mines, local politicians and others received bribe money from Adani Enterprises.
Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) has issued notices to Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) and two major companies handling coal at its terminal under pollution control norms for allegedly causing environmental hazard.
Board Chairman Jose Manuel Noronha said the companies and the port administration have been asked why their consent under Water and Air Pollution Prevention Act should not be withdrawn.
"The show cause notices were issued when it was noticed that the coal handling terminals did not take mandatory measures to control the pollution emanating from the coal dust," Noronha said.
This month, the first comprehensive assessment of the health impact of pollution from India’s coal-fired power plants was published.
The findings are grim. Scientists estimate that exposure to coal-related pollution caused between 80,000 and 115,000 premature deaths and more than 20 million asthma attacks in 2011-12.
The conclusion is particularly worrying, given that the World Resources Institute estimates that 455 new coal power plants are planned in India, more than four times the number that exist now.
Madhya Pradesh: Five people, three laborers and two security guards, died mysteriously in a Neemuch-based private factory on Thursday when they stepped down to clean a 25-feet deep tank filled with impurities generated by oil milling. The incident occurred at Adani Wilmar Oil Limited located four kilometers away from Neemuch district headquarter. Investigation is going on as to what caused the deaths of the factory workers whether it was acid in tank or they died due to suffocation.
But a Fairfax Media investigation into the treatment of 6000 construction labourers at a luxury housing project in Gujarat owned by the Adani family has uncovered lax safety standards, underage workers and regular cholera outbreaks from contaminated drinking water.
It comes after Mr Adani's company was found in February to have failed to gain proper environmental approval for construction around India's largest private port, also in Gujarat - destroying mangroves and displacing local villagers.
Adani Australia's chief executive officer was in charge of an African copper mine which allowed a flood of dangerous pollutants to pour into a Zambian river, the ABC can reveal.
Jeyakumar Janakaraj has been chief executive of Adani's Australian operations since leaving Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) in Zambia in 2013.
Now KCM and its parent company Vedanta Resources are being taken to the High Court in London by locals who say pollution from the company's huge Chingola open-pit copper mine made them ill and devastated nearby farmland over a 10-year period from 2004.
Mr Janakaraj was director of operations of KMC when the company was charged in 2010 with causing a serious pollution spill, which saw a toxic brew of highly acidic, metal-laden discharge released into the Kafue River.
The river is one of Zambia's largest waterways and a source of water and food for about 40 per cent of the country's people.
The 31-square-kilometre KCM open pit mine in Zambia's Chingola region is described as the biggest copper mine in Africa, producing about 2 million tonnes of ore a year.
The 2009 annual report of KCM's parent company, London-listed mining conglomerate Vedanta Resources, said Mr Janakaraj was "responsible for overall operations of KCM".
"On [Mr Janakaraj's] watch, significant pollution events happened," lawyer Ariane Wilkinson of Environmental Justice Australia said.
"The court documents show that they discharged what's called a pregnant liquor solution into the Kafue River. That's a highly acidic, metal-laden pollutant, and that it changed the colour of the river."
KCM was prosecuted by the Zambian Government, and the company pleaded guilty to charges of polluting the environment, discharging toxic matter into the aquatic environment, wilfully failing to report an incident of pollution, and the failure to comply with the requirements for discharge of effluent.
The court was told the source of the contamination was the mine's tailings leach plant, with the pollution changing the colour of the Kafue River to "deep blue". The company was fined 21,970,000 Zambian kwacha (about $4,030).
A few months later, in 2011, a Zambian newspaper reported the company's copper mine had again polluted the river, and that environmental authorities were investigating.
A Queensland court has found Indian mining company Adani exaggerated the economic benefits of its proposed Carmichael coal mine, including the amount of jobs and royalties the $16.5 billion project would generate…..
he court agreed the company had overstated the economic benefits that would flow from its project both in its environmental impact statement and in statements to the court.
Adani has promoted the project as a jobs bonanza for Queensland and its environmental impact statement forecast 10,000 jobs annually from 2024 and $22 billion in royalties.
But Adani's own witness Jerome Fahrer told the court this year the coal mine and connecting rail project would create an average of just 1464 jobs annually, an assessment Queensland Land Court president Carmel MacDonald agreed with.
"Dr Fahrer's evidence, which I have accepted, was that the Carmichael Coal and Rail Project will increase average annual employment by 1206 fte [full time equivalent] jobs in Queensland and 1,464 fte jobs in Australia," her judgment states.
President MacDonald also found Adani's modelling had "probably overstated the selling price of the coal and therefore the royalties generated by the project and the corporate tax payable".
But conservationists say
the mine is an environmental disaster waiting to happen, citing particular
risks to the Great Barrier Reef.
"It's an
extraordinary decision, especially coming at a time when the Great Barrier Reef
is experiencing its worst ever coral bleaching event," Australian
Conservation Foundation chief executive Kelly O'Shanassy said. "We know
the bleaching is because of global warming, and Carmichael will only make that
worse."
By Adani's own figures,
the mine and its coal will emit more than 4.6 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide
over its lifetime. "The pollution from this mine is so big that it cancels
the pollution cuts the Turnbull government committed to at the Paris Climate
Summit," Ms O'Shanassy said.
The impact of such
emissions could be terminal to the reef, according to Dr Veron. "The reef
is obviously in dire straights, irrespective of what anyone says, and that's blindly
obvious.
"There is
extraordinary disconnect between science and the political action. Politicians
think the mine is good because it's good for economy, but we are selling out
the next generation of Australians as fast as we can go."
Dr Veron has devoted his
life to studying coral reefs: he discovered more than 20 per cent of the
world's coral species, and has been likened by Sir David Attenborough to a
modern day Charles Darwin.
"Roughly a third of
marine species have parts of their life cycle in coral reefs," Dr Veron
said. "So if you take out coral reefs you have an ecological collapse of
the oceans. It's happened before, mass extinctions through ocean acidification,
and the main driver of that is CO₂."
Dr Veron recently
travelled to Canberra to talk to government about the decline in the reef.
"The politicians do listen to scientists, but that is the worst part of
it," he said. "If this was all done out of sheer ignorance, that is
sort of understandable. It's like child porn – you might say you don't know it
exists, but if you know it exists and you do everything to promote it, then
that's evil."
The granting of the
Carmichael leases coincides with increased concerns over threats to Great
Barrier Reef from land-based pollution, including sediments, nutrients and
pesticides.
Australian Institute of
Marine Science principal research scientist Dr Frederieke Kroon has told the
ABC that government policies designed to keep the reef on UNESCO's World
Heritage list are insufficient.
"Our review finds
that current efforts are not sufficient to achieve the water quality targets
set in the Reef 2050 Plan," she said.
Last week billionaire businessman Gautam Adani paid a visit to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull asking him to enact a special law to stop anyone challenging big coal and gas projects once they have been approved by government. This meeting raises questions about the relationship between government and big polluting companies.
The Prime Minister is entitled to meet with anyone he likes, you may very well say, but there are two issues here – one is the fossil fuel industry's direct access to power and the other is the implications of that on Australia's democracy.
Turnbull's back room meeting with international billionaire businessman Adani is an example of the warm reception the fossil fuel industry enjoys in Australia. This direct access to the highest office in our country is an unfortunate feature of our democracy, and speaks of the pernicious dynamic where money enables access to power. Just by the way, according to data released by the AEC, Adani donated $49,500 to the Liberal Party of Australia in the 2013-2014 financial year. The state government manoeuvres....
Two groups fighting the mine in separate court battles have accused Dr Lynham of abandoning previous assurances that leases would not be granted until two existing cases were resolved.
Just eight weeks ago, Dr Lynham said he wanted to give certainty to Adani and "granting a mining lease in the presence of two JRs (judicial reviews) does not provide the certainty".
Separate Federal Court challenges brought by the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) and the Wangan and Jagalingou (W&J) traditional owners are yet to be concluded.
The Environmental Defenders Office - which is representing ACF in its challenge to the project's federal approvals - has already said it's considering challenging Dr Lynham's decision to grant Adani mining leases.
AAP has asked Dr Lynham to explain why he issued the leases despite the two outstanding challenges.
On ABC radio on Monday, he agreed there was a prospect of further court appeals.
The solemn vow and plea for assistance....
Excerpt from
a 4 April 2016 email from Adrian
Burragubba on behalf of the Wangan and Jagalingou Traditional Owners:
The
Queensland Government just betrayed us.
Queensland Mines Minister Anthony Lynham wrote a letter to us in October,
promising he would await the outcome of our Federal Court action against the
Carmichael mine before considering issuing Adani with the mining leases. But
today the Premier and the Minister double-crossed us.
Adani doesn't have our free, prior and informed consent to build their
Carmichael coal mine on our land, and they never will.
The Queensland Government just rode roughshod over our rights and granted the
mining leases anyway. They have given Adani the green light to ignore our
opposition and to tear the heart out of our country. To destroy our rivers and
drain billions of litres of groundwater. To leave a black hole of monumental
proportions in our homelands.
The Minister has trashed our rights
and pushed the leases out the door in one of the worst acts of bad faith
towards Queensland's Indigenous people in living memory.
Adani and the Queensland Government think they can walk all over us but they've
never seen anything like this. Our lands and our way of life, and the legacy of
our ancestors, mean too much to our people for us to roll over.
Our resolve is doubled. Minister Lynham
can issue all the bits of paper he likes, hide behind false claims of jobs and
benefits, and pander to big coal for an unviable project.
But our people's rights are not expendable. This act of infamy will be
challenged all the way to the High Court if necessary, and we will continue to
pursue our rights under international law.
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The Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 19
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
[Adopted and proclaimed by United Nations General Assembly resolution 217 A (III) of 10 December 1948]
Hi! My name is Boy. I'm a male bi-coloured tabby cat. Ever since I discovered that Malcolm Turnbull's dogs were allowed to blog, I have been pestering Clarencegirl to allow me a small space on North Coast Voices.
A false flag musing: I have noticed one particular voice on Facebook which is Pollyanna-positive on the subject of the Port of Yamba becoming a designated cruise ship destination. What this gentleman doesn’t disclose is that, as a principal of Middle Star Pty Ltd, he could be thought to have a potential pecuniary interest due to the fact that this corporation (which has had an office in Grafton since 2012) provides consultancy services and tourismbusiness development services.
A religion & local government musing: On 11 October 2017 Clarence Valley Council has the Church of Jesus Christ Development Fund Inc in Sutherland Local Court No. 6 for a small claims hearing. It would appear that there may be a little issue in rendering unto Caesar. On 19 September 2017 an ordained minister of a religion (which was named by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in relation to 40 instances of historical child sexual abuse on the NSW North Coast) read the Opening Prayer at Council’s ordinary monthly meeting. Earlier in the year an ordained minister (from a church network alleged to have supported an overseas orphanage closed because of child abuse claims in 2013) read the Opening Prayer and an ordained minister (belonging to yet another church network accused of ignoring child sexual abuse in the US and racism in South Africa) read the Opening Prayer at yet another ordinary monthly meeting. Nice one councillors - you are covering yourselves with glory!
An investigative musing: Newcastle Herald, 12 August 2017: The state’s corruption watchdog has been asked to investigate the finances of the Awabakal Aboriginal Local Land Council, less than 12 months after the troubled organisation was placed into administration by the state government. The Newcastle Herald understands accounting firm PKF Lawler made the decision to refer the land council to the Independent Commission Against Corruption after discovering a number of irregularities during an audit of its financial statements.The results of the audit were recently presented to a meeting of Awabakal members. Administrator Terry Lawler did not respond when contacted by the Herald and a PKF Lawler spokesperson said it was unable to comment on the matter. Given the intricate web of company relationships that existed with at least one former board member it is not outside the realms of possibility that, if ICAC accepts this referral, then United Land Councils Limited (registered New Zealand) and United First Peoples Syndications Pty Ltd(registered Australia) might be interviewed. North Coast Voices readers will remember that on 15 August 2015 representatives of these two companied gave evidence before NSW Legislative Council General Purpose Standing Committee No. 6 INQUIRY INTO CROWN LAND. This evidence included advocating for a Yamba mega port.
A Nationals musing: Word around the traps is that NSW Nats MP for Clarence Chris Gulaptis has been talking up the notion of cruise ships visiting the Clarence River estuary. Fair dinkum! That man can be guaranteed to run with any bad idea put to him. I'm sure one or more cruise ships moored in the main navigation channel on a regular basis for one, two or three days is something other regular river users will really welcome. *pause for appreciation of irony* The draft of the smallest of the smaller cruise vessels is 3 metres and it would only stay safely afloat in that channel. Even the Yamba-Iluka ferry has been known to get momentarily stuck in silt/sand from time to time in Yamba Bay and even a very small cruise ship wouldn't be able to safely enter and exit Iluka Bay. You can bet your bottom dollar operators of cruise lines would soon be calling for dredging at the approach to the river mouth - and you know how well that goes down with the local residents.
A local councils musing: Which Northern Rivers council is on a low-key NSW Office of Local Government watch list courtesy of feet dragging by a past general manager?
A serial pest musing: I'm sure the Clarence Valley was thrilled to find that a well-known fantasist is active once again in the wee small hours of the morning treading a well-worn path of accusations involving police, local business owners and others.
An investigative musing: Which NSW North Coast council is batting to have the longest running code of conduct complaint investigation on record?
A which bank? musing: Despite a net profit last year of $9,227 million the Commonwealth Bank still insists on paying below Centrelink deeming rates interest on money held in Pensioner Security Accounts. One local wag says he’s waiting for the first bill from the bank charging him for the privilege of keeping his pension dollars at that bank.
A Daily Examiner musing: Just when you thought this newspaper could sink no lower under News Corp management, it continues to give column space to Andrew Bolt.
A thought to ponder musing: In case of bushfire or flood - do you have an emergency evacuation plan for the family pet?
An adoption musing: Every week on the NSW North Coast a number of cats and dogs find themselves without a home. If you want to do your bit and give one bundle of joy a new family, contact Happy Paws on 0419 404 766 or your local council pound.
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