(Image Source: Talisman Coins)


BY JULIA CORDEROY


The Great Barrier Reef could be in danger of losing its world heritage status. An unprecedented number of diseased or dead marine life has been found this year - and there is debate about whether mother nature or industrial growth is to blame. A writer for Crikey explains...

“The liquid natural gas facility being constructed at Gladstone is to supply liquefied coal-seam gas to China to reduce that country’s CO2 emissions... The proposed port development for this and many other projects in and around the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park will require massive amounts of dredging...”

It is this dredging to accommodate Queensland’s expanding coal seam gas industry that has some worried. So what’s the connection?

Being a World Heritage Site means it is a place that is listed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation as of special cultural or physical significance. UNESCO considers it in the interest of the international community to preserve each site. (Video: ABC Australia)

The Herald Sun quotes Australian Greens Senator Larissa Waters, who says...

“...‘the reef may now be in danger of losing World Heritage status’ because of the dredging and future development.”

Brisbane Times spoke to The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority Chairman who says...

"Our concerns filled many pages, but it relates to the things you'd expect any potential spill over into the marine park of dredging activity, impacts on migratory species, humpback dolphin, Indo-Pacific and the snubfin dolphins.”

Queensland authorities imposed a three-week temporary fishing ban in the harbour while they investigated infectious outbreaks in fish. Sky News Australia quotes Australian Senator Stephen Conroy who says...

"No links were found between the fish disease and water quality...”

Fisheries Queensland agrees - it isn’t the dredging, it’s mother nature. ABC Australia reports...

“Research by Fisheries Queensland says that the wet summer may have been a factor in the harbours poor health. It says Gladstone’s Awoonga Dam overflowed and that could have posed a problem.”

That might be, but Australian activists are saying - whatever the “official” cause, one of the country’s greatest national assets still needs greater protections.