Did you know that the company which owns the lease for Abbot Point Port in Queensland is an Indian Multi National Corporation? The man at the helm, Guatam Adani, is the 6th richest man in India. They have recently been granted permission by the Queensland Government to expand the Port.
This may not seem too disturbing, but the issue is that this company want to dump up to 5 million tonnes of dredge waste from this upgrade into the National Park which surrounds the Great Barrier Reef. Of course the company have produced “peer reviewed scientific studies” which show that no harm will come of this.
In a press release dated June 4th 2013, they thanked the powers that be in this area – “The Queensland Government has been very supportive of Adani’s Carmichael Mine and Rail project, which is already delivering benefits across the State by way of jobs and supporting local businesses.” I am sure they have been supportive.
The questions I have for all you proud Australians out there are these – How do you feel about a Foreign Multinational coming in and destroying your pristine Great Barrier Reef? How do you feel about a company not only digging up your land and selling it for profit, but also then having the lack of care to dispose of this waste safely and out of harms reach?
What happened to the people who run this country? Why does it take a UNESCO issued statement saying that the Governments must rethink their strategy for this to gain any sort of real media attention? When did the Corporations take over?
An issue we must face is that we are now on a precipice of unfathomable depth and darkness. We have the ability to take power back from these Corporations. We have the ability to say NO. Australia has a duty to the animals, the people, the beauty and the life of this area to say NO.
You have to ask yourself what is the point to it. Is this expansion of the port necessary? Why is it being carried out? Let me tell you that the ONLY REASON IS MORE PROFIT. This is the sole reason. The 6th richest billionaire in India wants more money. He wants it fast. He wants more and more and more and he wants it quicker.
Consider this reality. A man in India owns a company. He makes BILLIONS by digging up the ground and selling it to others. He buys ground in a remote part of Australia and sells it. He makes lots and lots of money. He realises that if he can get more of the coal from the ground quicker, then he can make more money. To do this he needs to expand.
He pays for rail upgrades. He pays for port expansions. He brings employment to small sectors of the community. He sips his chai and wonders what he will do with all the waste from the expansion. Tick tock tick tock…got it, I’ll dump it in the ocean. Problem solved. The only problem is that this part of the ocean is the GREAT BARRIER REEF.
No worries mate, I’ll simply pay for some scientific peer review studies, mount a PR campaign and ensure I look after the local officials. Excellent. Now I can sit back and watch more BILLIONS roll into my Indian bank account.
This is the reality folks. Like it or not. And before anyone claims this is some kind of racist attack on Indians, let me assure you that I would say the same if they were from any other country. These people are digging up your land, selling it for profit and they do not give a monkeys what happens to you, your landscape or your locality. They want profit and more of it.
So while you go about your business today and tomorrow and the next day, just know that there is an Indian Billionaire who wants to potentially destroy the Great Barrier Reef so he can have more money. Your politicians are sitting back and having their wealthy bellies tickled. Your media is paid for and powerless.
What are you going to do about it?
To get involved visit Save The Reef
Read more articles like this in the Guardian
Above all, stand up for your country and the rights your children have to see it as you can now.