Douglas Shire Council opposes Adani coalmine
COUNCIL STANCE
DOUGLAS Shire Council has formally opposed the Adani Group’s $16.5 billion Carmichael coal project.
Mayor Julia Leu used her Mayoral Minute at yesterday’s ordinary council meeting in Mossman to deliver a strong speech, saying the impacts of coal mining in the Galilee Basin could have a significant negative economic impact on the Douglas Shire and Great Barrier Reef.
She said shipping, maintenance of port facilities and the burning of fossil fuels could put future economic stress on the region, which relies on the reef for jobs and tourism.
“The Great Barrier Reef, together with the Daintree National Park, is the backbone of the Douglas Shire economy, representing 80% of economic activity within Douglas annually,” Mayor Leu said.
“In Douglas, there is extensive private investment and confidence in this billion-dollar vital industry, with new and expanded dive adventures and diversification in overall reef experiences. It is critical this is not put in jeopardy.”
Leu said the reef represents an estimated $6.4 billion annually to the Australian economy, $3.9 billion of which is attributed to the Queensland economy.
“The Reef supports 64,000 jobs nationally, the vast bulk of which are in Queensland. This makes the Reef a larger full-time “employer” than many of Australia’s corporate giants, such as Qantas, Telstra and the National Australia Bank.”
A packed gallery of anti-Adani supporters cheered at the Mossman Council Chambers yesterday as all councillors voted unanimously to oppose the coalmine.
Mayor Leu then listed the ‘unacceptable risks’ to the future well being of the Great Barrier Reef, and the resultant negative impacts on the Douglas Shire, which she would be providing to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
The list included:
FOSSIL FUELS:
"Coal, a fossil fuel, when burned, represents a significant continuing contribution of CO2 gas emissions into the atmosphere with the consequent effects of increased absorption of CO2 into our oceans. This leads to increased ocean acidification and increased ocean temperatures. The Great Barrier Reef is under significant stress, in part as a consequence of increasing ocean acidification and increasing, ocean temperatures that cause coral bleaching and eventual coral mortality. Further coal mining activity will only exacerbate these effects."
INCREASED MARITIME ACTIVITY:
"Significantly increased maritime activity within the Great Barrier Reef marine park as a consequence of shipping coal for export which is delivered to Abbot Point from the Galilee Basin will represent further potential threats to the well being of the reef into the future due to the risks of vessels potentially colliding with the reef."
DREDGING:
"The requirement for dredging at Abbot Point Port facilities to accommodate coal, shipping vessels will present significant risks to the health of the Great Barrier Reef as a consequence of sediment stirred up by dredging activities."
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