You wouldn’t dump millions of tonnes of sludge on the Sydney Opera House. Dumping millions of tonnes of mud on the pyramids of Egypt wouldn’t be okay. And you certainly wouldn’t fill the Grand Canyon with millions of tonnes of waste.
But that’s the fate facing the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.
The Great Barrier Reef is at serious risk of becoming a dumping ground for millions of tonnes of sludge, to make way for bigger ports and allow thousands more coal ships to plough through its pristine waters.
There are proposals in the pipeline that would see 40 million tonnes of seabed and rock dumped over the next five years.
With a federal election just around the corner, we have a critical opportunity to let the next Australian government know that it’s not okay to treat the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area as a dumping ground.
Petition to the next Australian government:
We are deeply concerned about the health of the Great Barrier Reef, and current plans to rapidly industrialise its coast.
We are calling on you – as the next government with ultimate responsibility for the Reef – to take decisive action to ensure the precious icon that we love is protected.
Specifically, we are calling on you to ban the industrial-scale dumping of dredge spoil in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.
The Great Barrier Reef is for every single person in Australia and around the world, not just big industry. We are looking to you to show global leadership and urgently ensure the Reef is protected.
