(Transcript from World News Australia Radio)
In 2012, the World Heritage Committee of the United Nations warned that it was considering placing the Great Barrier Reef on its list of world heritage sites that are considered to be in danger.
The Committee has now been given two very different assessments about the health of the Reef.
One is a progress report from the federal and Queensland governments which says significant progress has been made to improve the management, health and protection of the natural wonder.
The other is from environmentalists who say the overall health of the Reef continues to decline.
Greg Dyett reports.
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Superlative natural beauty above and below the water, providing some of the most spectacular scenery on earth and one of a few living structures visible from space.
That's how the UN World Heritage Committee describes Australia's Great Barrier Reef which it fears is under threat.
Its assessment is shared by someone who's spent more than 30 years working as a research scientist, including at the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority as its director of water quality and coastal developments.
Jon Brodie is now the leader of the Catchment to Reef Research Group at James Cook University and he says the Reef is in severe decline.
He says last week's decision to allow the dumping of three-million cubic metres of dredge spoil within the marine park won't have a major effect, but that's not the main problem.
"Not great. The problem is that it's one of many. The Reef's in severe decline, that has to be recognised despite claims to the contrary we're losing coral rapidly, sea grass, dugongs, turtles, sharks, commercial fish, in shore dolphins are all in decline. All the things that make the Great Barrier Reef what it is and the things we know about are in decline. That decline is caused by climate change impacts, agricultural run off of pollution and coastal development impacts. All those need managing properly if we're to retain the values of the Great Barrier Reef and stop the decline so this project by itself will only cause a moderate amount of damage but it's the cumulative amount that we're worried about.
More than 200 scientists and conservationists had urged the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority to reject the dredge dumping proposal saying sediment from dredging can damage coral, seagrasses and other marine life.
In approving the dumping, the authority chairman Doctor Russell Reichelt said the sea floor of the approved disposal area consists of sand, silt and clay and doesn't contain coral Reefs or seagrass beds.
Louise Matthiesson from Greenpeace says she's not satisfied with that assurance.
"It's only about 10 kilometres from a place called Holburn Island national Park, which is surrounded by fringing coral reefs and is extremely beautiful. Now we know that the muddy plumes from the dumping of the dredge spoil can spread up to 80 kilometres. So, there's real concern that those muddy plumes will settle or smother nearby coral reefs."
The dredge spoil will come from the expansion of a coal port just north of Bowen.
The owner of the coal port, North Queensland Bulk Ports, says it's completed extensive 3D modelling which has been peer reviewed and it shows there'll be no impact on Holburn Island.
And the president of the Bowen Chamber of Commerce, Bruce Hedditch, says it will create thousands of jobs.
Mr Hedditch says the dump site is far enough away from the actual Reef, and he's satisfied the dredge spoil won't cause any damage.
"It's 20 to 30 kilometres away, even further in some areas, from where the Barrier Reef is to the dump site. Additionally the soil that's been picked up from one part of the bay and put into another is exactly the same and it's not going to have any environmental impact at all and considerable discussion has taken place over a long time as to the actual site and this seems to be the best site for all parties involved.
Bruce Hedditch says he's satisfied with the answers to the many questions the community has posed.
"There's been a lot of opponents saying that the water colour will change, it may take months for it to settle. The information I've been provided it's 3 to 5 days, even 7 days. All good questions people keep asking about the Reef, I've asked myself and I keep getting answers that satisfy me in respect of what's going to happen to the Barrier Reef and I think everybody should realise that nearly all Australians would want the Great Barrier protected. I'm sure you do and I do and the way in which they're doing it seems to satisfy me and all the questions I've asked over a period of time."
The federal and Queensland governments have sent a report to the World Heritage Committee with assurances that significant progress has been made since the body warned in 2012 that it was considering putting the Great Barrier Reef on 'in danger' list.
But Louise Matthiesson from Greenpeace says conservationists have prepared their own report on the Reef.
"Environment groups have also given an alternative report to the World Heritage Committee pointing out all the flaws and shortcomings in what the Australia government is claiming to do and making sure that they international community is aware that while the government might be giving with one hand they're taking with the other and that overall the health of the Reef is continuing to decline and there's no halt to these massive new port developments along the coast."
