Lobbying by the Gladstone Ports Corporation [GPC] to have the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage boundaries modified is a request to de-list Gladstone Harbour, according to the Queensland Greens.
"Comments from the Gladstone Ports chairman and the CEO that they believe the World Heritage Area should align with The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park [GBRMP] is a ploy to remove UNESCO oversight and environmental controls over destructive port activities in Gladstone Harbour," Queensland Greens state spokesperson Dr Libby Connors said today.
"GBRMP boundaries only extend as far south as Grahams Creek in The Narrows channel and to the eastern side of Curtis Island.
"The World Heritage listing however recognised the integrity of Curtis Island and its high quality vegetation and consequently included it and the harbour waters in the WHA.
"This is an admission by the GPC that they are likely to be severely criticised by UNESCO for their mismanagement of Gladstone harbour.
A UNESCO delegation is due to visit Queensland in March 2012 to investigate the impacts of port expansions and of development of coal seam gas facilities in this valuable marine environment.
"It is clear to see why UNESCO are concerned," Ms Connors said. "These waters are a recorded birthing site for humpback whales and important habitat for dugongs.
"Its shallow waters sustain rich seagrass beds which resulted in the state government declaring all the waters south of Graham Creek to Bustard Head a dugong sanctuary in 2002.
"The dugongs were one of the reasons for the World Heritage listing and Queensland has a responsibility to protect them and their habitat to the world community.
Ms Connors said that the revelations confirmed the Greens fears that the Ports Corporations and mining companies were driving the political agenda in this state.
"There is a real problem with the lack of transparency of government owned corporations.
"We have a former ALP city councillor, Ian Brusasco, appointed as chairman and a former Labor candidate, Leo Zussino, appointed as CEO and successive Labor environment ministers have stood by while one outrageous development after another was proposed.
Further comment contact Libby Connors