Want to protect the Reef for generations to come? If the answer is yes, you might want to give new Environment Minister Mark Butler a bell - and quick.
Two weeks from now Minister Butler will make a critical decision with massive ramifications for the future of the Reef. He'll be deciding on whether or not to allow the dumping of dredge spoil in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. That's 3 million cubic metres of seabed to be dug up and poured right on top of our Reef.
The mining industry is already in his ear, so we need to be even louder. Let's bombard him with personalised postcards, calls and emails so he can't ignore the lasting legacy his decision will leave on the health of our World Heritage listed Reef, the tourism industry and our cherished native marine life:
http://www.getup.org.au/our-reef-brief
The dredging involves getting huge machines to dig deep trenches into our Reef, right through the habitat of our iconic marine life. It will turn our pristine Reef into a coal-shipping superhighway from Abbot Point terminal.
Mark Butler has yet to make a major decision on our Reef. Before he begins with one that would mean furthering development of the largest coal port in the world, let's make sure he gets a taste of the opposition he'll be facing if he puts mining interests ahead of people's interests.
Have you seen what dredging actually looks like?
It's not a pretty picture but it's the stark reality of what our beloved Reef could look like if we continue to rapidly develop coal export facilities all along our pristine coast. Not exactly a tourist attraction. As new Minister for Climate, Environment, Heritage and Water, Minister Butler needs to hear from the people who are looking out for the long-term interests of our economy and environment and not short term gain for industry. He needs to hear from you.
http://www.getup.org.au/our-reef-brief
As well as the huge damage the dredging will do to the delicate Reef ecosystem, Abbot Point's expansion would have disastrous consequences for our environment. If all the coal earmarked to be dug up each year is burned, it will export the equivalent of 130% of Australia's total current annual Co2 emissions. It's reckless and contradictory for our leaders to call this the critical decade for climate change, while simultaneously supporting some of the world's largest coal projects.
By putting hundreds of personalised visual cards, emails and calls in front of him every day for a week, he should get a pretty good idea of how important the future of the Reef is to Australians. Everywhere he looks, he'll be surrounded by images of the beautiful reef he is considering covering in dredge spoil.
There's more to come, too. GetUp members have helped run advertising campaigns, commission scientific reports, produce submissions, send an environmental campaigner to Glencore-Xstrata's AGM in Switzerland and more. In the next few days we'll release a scientific report showing a clear correlation between dredging and harmful effects on marine life. Keep an eye out in the press.
Let's get loud,
the GetUp team
PS - Speaking of getting loud, we've been busy working with our friends at the Australian Marine Conservation Society, Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, 350, and the Australian Youth Climate Coalition organising a massive rally for the Reef for August 24 in the middle of Brisbane. It will be fun, highly visible and impossible to ignore. We need GetUp members to turn out by the thousands! Pencil in the date for now, and we'll be in contact with more information closer to the event.
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