Digging up the Great Barrier Reef seabed to build the world's second largest coal port -- that's what our government is now considering.
We only have until tomorrow to try and stop this. With new Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull looking for a fresh start, we've got a better shot than ever of making this happen.
The coal port at Abbot Point is being pushed by energy giant Adani, which is greedily eyeing corporate profits. And right now, the government is currently accepting public submissions on the impact of Abbot Point. So it's a crucial time to make sure our voice is heard.
Can you please make a quick submission to save the Great Barrier Reef before tomorrow's deadline?
You don't need to be a policy expert to make a submission on the Environmental Impact Statement. You just need to tell the government that you don't want to see the corporate ruin of our Great Barrier Reef.
To get you started, here's what the proposal will do to our Reef:
- Millions of tonnes of World Heritage reef seabed will be ripped up so more coal can be shipped out of the port of Abbot Point;
- The dredge spoil will be dumped next to the sensitive Caley Valley wetlands, ruining the habitat of up to 40,000 birds, including many rare and threatened species; and
- The dredging will take place around Abbot Point, near waters that are home to rare and endangered sea turtles, dugongs, snubfin dolphins, and it's in the path of migrating humpback whales.
We need to pile on as much pressure as possible to show the government that it's too politically risky to go ahead with this proposal.
The announcement of Malcolm Turnbull as our new Prime Minister shows us that the government feels like it's already in a precarious position with the public. The government recognises that it needs to make changes to how it's currently running our country.
We can do this. As part of a global coalition to protect our reef from Big Coal, we've campaigned hard to make a whopping 14 banks publicly commit to not financing Reef destruction.
SumOfUs members have been crucial in our movement's victories. Recently, we made UK bank Standard Chartered fold when tens of thousands of us signed a petition and flooded its Facebook page.
Let's send an emphatic no the government's proposal to ruin the Great Barrier Reef.
Can you please make a quick submission to save the Great Barrier Reef before tomorrow's deadline?
More information:
Abbot Point expansion environmental impact statement issued, Brisbane Times, 20 August 2015
Abbot Point: Third draft of Environmental Impact Statement proposes spoil from dredging be disposed of on land and re-used, ABC Online, 20 August 2015