Ken Dobbs - President, Port Douglas Chamber of Commerce

Today we speak with president of the Port Douglas Chamber of Commerce, Ken Dobbs, and ask him for his thoughts on climate change, and whether our businesses are prepared for what is predicted to be a very different environment by 2050.

"It is a matter of opinion where the Reef will be in 40 years. There are studies saying one thing and another.

"I'm certainly a supporter that if there are risks to it you deal with the risks and try to remove the thing that's causing the problem.

"I don't accept that in 40 years it will be gone unless we have a carbon tax. The carbon tax is about a whole range of issues and that's just one of them.

"I think people in business in Port Douglas have enough trouble working out how they're going to survive the next 12 months without worrying about where they might be in 40 years.

"People are not looking 40 years ahead. Most are not looking ten years ahead. The focus is on just one year ahead.

"I have a personal view that climate change is something we should deal with, but not necessarily for just the reasons of the Barrier Reef or carbon. You can't just keep digging fossil fuels out of the ground.

"Personally I do think about 40 years in advance. I won't be here, I know, but I do feel we have to make decisions which our grandchildren or great grandchildren will be able to have some benefits (from).

"If we didn't have tourism because we didn't have a reef or a rainforest, you can't prepare for that. The only thing it (Port Douglas) could be is a nice place to retire to I suppose.

"We could look at (Port Douglas being) a great place to retire and alot of people who have been in business here are staying here because it is a great place to retire.

"In terms of alternative industries, you can't just create them, they've got to evolve.

"I think a Chamber of Commerce should be looking ahead to maybe the ten year time frame.

"Our big focus is on the next year or two, and secondly maybe out to ten years with things like the waterfront.

"Beyond that I don't think it's a Chamber issue it's more of a personal one and an environmental one, and I understand the issues.

"Eventually the world will change. It might be a million years but it's going to change."

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