The Greens have been campaigning against Channel Deepening for years. Economists, scientists, retired harbourmasters and sea pilots, local councils, community groups and individual members of the public made submissions and presentations to recent hearings into the channel deepening supplementary environmental effects statement (SEES). They expressed serious concerns about the quality of information contained in the SEES, and the process the government set up to assess the proposal.

Greens MLC Sue Pennicuik made a presentation to the inquiry on 23 July which highlighted the fact that so many people were willing to volunteer considerable time and effort to do this was an indication that there are still many problems with the channel deepening proposal. In contrast the port was supported by a bevy of paid staff and lawyers.

The Greens are concerned that others in the community and in the Parliament have simply accepted the assertions made by the port and the government that we need channel deepening, that it will provide economic benefits and that it will not cause serious environmental impacts.

Unfortunately none of the evidence produced by the port supports any of these assertions, but a great deal of evidence and argument put forward to challenge them raises serious concerns about the economics, safety and environmental risks. Click here for a quick summary of risks and concerns.