GOVERNMENT NOBBLES PLANNING PANEL.

Blue Wedges Coalition claims censoring the Panel's Terms of Reference puts shipping company profits ahead of the public interest.

On Tuesday 21^st September at 10.00 AM the Port of Melbourne Corporation (PoMC) commences its 4-week presentation to the Independent Panel Hearing into the proposed deepening of shipping channels in Port Phillip Bay and the Yarra River.

1.30 PM Nauru House Forecourt - Blue Wedges Coalition Media Statement:

We challenge the validity of the Panel’s Terms of Reference set by Planning Minister Ms. Delahunty - land based impacts, funding and alternatives to the proposal have been excluded, severely limiting the scope of the Panel.

We question the community benefits claimed for this project. The $1.3 billion benefit shown in the EES goes to shipping interests, only two-thirds of which are Australian and one third overseas. The Victorian community will have to rely on the trickle down effect. PoMC admit as little as $20 extra cost per container if the project did not proceed. Most people would not even notice this very small amount.

We question the $400 million project cost listed in the EES. This neat round figure is not itemised and must include many unknowns.

We commend the EPA and the Central Coastal Board – State Authorities who have publicly expressed serious concerns about the proposal – how many other Agencies agree with the EPA and CCB but feel pressure from government not to speak?

Our Coalition backs warnings from scientists including CSIRO Research Fellow Dr Graham Harris that the PoMC risk management proposals cannot effectively protect against the risk of serious, irreversible damage to the Bay’s ecology – including increasing Nitrogen load and algal blooms that would turn the Bay pea-green.

The 4 year $12 million CSIRO Port Phillip Bay Environmental study, headed by Dr. Harris, recommended less dredging and less spoil dumping in the Bay – little wonder CSIRO did not win the EES tender, instead awarded to US firm Parsons Brinkerhoff

Federal Government is the final arbiter. As the proposal has been "referred" under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, Blue Wedges Coalition calls on the Federal Government to invoke its undoubted powers under the EPBC Act to stop further destruction of our No. 1 public asset – Port Phillip Bay and its Marine parks, iconic Pt. Nepean and International Ramsar sites.

Contact: Blue Wedges Co-ordinator Jenny Warfe Ph. 59871583 warfej@bigpond.com Ian Thrussell: Mob: 0411 202952 www.bluewedges.org