NO KIDDFUKKER HERE

GLADSTONE

In Gladstone Queensland I was the volunteer secretary and co-convenor of the Central Queensland branch of the Greens before the federal election. Given that the port of Gladstone is a major export point for Australian coal and also an access point for the southern Great Barrier Reef, I was and am alarmed by the lack of local environmental awareness there. A lot of national focus is given to the planned mines in the northern Galilee basin, but the basin actually extends south and inland to current and planned mines in central Queensland. These southern mines export to Gladstone and not the Abbot point terminal. Perhaps the lack of attention to the port of Gladstone is because of the coal being coking rather than thermal? Still I am concerned that the Gladstone area, being an area of diverse ecology protected but threatened by development, is overlooked by the national level discussion of climate change impacts. The Stop Adani campaign is heartening and brings hope. I would like for the same love of Australian ecology to be shared with the southern part of the Barrier Reef. Environmental groups in Gladstone could much use support from the capital cities for their ecological protection work. Some young people in Gladstone have recently formed a branch of the Australian Youth Climate Council. For more information about the ecology of Gladstone the Queensland Conservation Council has a local branch there. The southern part of the reef may be less affected by changes in climate so far but there is I think the need for greater public awareness of the issues of accommodating the industries of Gladstone within the Great Barrier Reef marine park zone.