2017-02-09
Greens MLC Lynn MacLaren says contrary to misinformation frequently spread by the Barnett Government, environmental effects of a new Outer Harbour on the Kwinana Industrial Strip are likely to be manageable.
“It seems to have escaped the Premier’s attention that the proposed location for the Outer Harbour is the centre of the Kwinana Industrial Strip, which has been the site of heavy industry, shipping and dredging for decades,” Ms MacLaren said.
“The Greens have a long history of advocating for the health and marine life of Cockburn Sound and we continue to be the loudest political voices calling for their protection from unsuitable development.
“Seagrass in Cockburn Sound must be protected – but the Sound’s healthiest seagrass beds, which the Greens want protected, are in the south of Cockburn Sound at Mangles Bay, and on the east side of Garden Island – not on the Kwinana Industrial Strip.
“About 85 per cent of the Sound’s original seagrass has been lost, and to date no one has been able to fully successfully regrow it.
“It is therefore important we protect seagrass where it is growing and only allow new development in areas where seagrass has been removed; this is why the Greens strongly oppose an ALP and Liberal-backed environmentally destructive proposal for an inland marina and canal estate in Mangles Bay which will destroy many hectares of seagrass, while calling for investigations to be progressed into building the Outer Harbour.
“As is usually the case with big developments, we think there are environmental concerns that would need to be investigated and managed if the Outer Harbour was built, including assessing the potential impacts of increased dredging on water quality, and ensuring careful alignment of future transport routes to the harbour to avoid bushland and wetlands – yet prima facie, from our talks with numerous environmental experts on the Sound in recent years, these concerns appear to be manageable.
“The Outer Harbour would provide 37,000 direct jobs, a further 49,000 indirect jobs, and kick-start the economy by improving trade and logistics networks, according recent studies by City of Kwinana and Regional Development Australia.
“Compare this to the ‘up to 500’ direct jobs that the Barnett Government claims would arise from building a 5km road-to-nowhere through the Beeliar Wetlands.
“It is very obvious which project offers most benefits to most Western Australians.”