Aussies Delay Great Barrier Reef Sacrifice Zone

Australia officials have delayed until Jan. 31 their decision on providing a Great Barrier Reef dumping permit to benefit the world’s largest coal port and contribute to making a sacrifice zone out of one of the world’s great wonders.

This delay took hundreds of thousands of people globally exposin Queensland’s dirty secret and taking a stand, thanks to the leadership of Fight For The Reef, but the war has just begun, group leaders say.

“The industrialization of the Reef was gathering pace under the radar, but together we dragged Queensland’s dirty secret into the national and international spotlight,” Felicity Wishart for the group Fight For The Reef announced Friday. “We’ve become an inspiring movement of people who love the Reef and are willing to act for its protection.”

Photo: Arlie Beach protesters join groups on becahes throughout Australia to say “No” to making Great Barrier Reef a Sacrificed Natural Wonder.

The Australian government, for the coal industry, was planning to secretly allow the dredging and dumping of 3 million tonnes of seabed into the reef’s waters, home to one of the planet’s wonders.

A few Aussies found out about the dirty plan and before long, the Fight For The Reef group formed. Since then:

• 81,000 signatures were taken to the World Heritage Committee in Cambodia, resulting in the Australian Government being put on notice about the treatment of the Reef.
• Over 3,500 passionate Reef Fighters marched through streets of Brisbane at the Rally for the Reef, waving colourful and vibrant banners.
• 800 people shared personal stories about what the Reef means to them resulting in a beautiful book, to be delivered to Parliament in 2014.
• Nearly 1000 people personally telephoned the Environment Minister to express concerns over dredging and dumping.

“We delayed the Abbot Point dredging and dumping decision for months. And now GBRMPA has delayed a decision on the dumping permit,” the groups says.

“Across Australia and the world, hundreds of thousands of people have stood up and said enough is enough.”

Photos Credit: Fight For The Reef, Facebook