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Tripodi dishes out greenwash on Port Botany expansion
Tuesday 25 August 2009
Greens MP and ports spokesperson Lee Rhiannon has challenged claims made today by Minister for Ports Joe Tripodi that the Port Botany expansion passed its annual environmental audit with flying colours.
“Joe Tripodi is the Minister for Greenwash when it comes to claims about the environmental impact of the Port Botany expansion”, said Ms Rhiannon.
“To date, 3.4 million cubic metres has been dredged from the bottom of Botany Bay and used for reclamation.
“I understand from locals that this dredging has already affected fish numbers and that areas of sea grass are disappearing.
“The area dredged includes the area where the Orica toxic plume enters Botany Bay.
“The Orica plume contains PCBs, a group of toxic chemicals which accumulate in the food chain and can adversely affect the environment and people’s health.
“Not surprisingly, Mr Tripodi forgot to mention the impact that increased truck movements as a result of the expansion will have on the environment and on residents who will be subject to 24 hour a day truck movements.
“The government’s target of moving 40% of freight from Port Botany by rail feels more like the premise of a good novel than a factual account.
“Despite Tripodi’s best attempts at spin, the expansion of Port Botany is anything but an environmental success story”, said Ms Rhiannon.
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