Ramsey Welcomes Roxby Expansion Announcement, But……
Posted on Wednesday, 12 October, 2011
The Federal Member for Grey Rowan Ramsey has welcomed the announcement of approval for BHP Billiton’s $30billion expansion, but again calls for the release of SARDI’s report into the proposed desalination plant at Port Bonython, which was given approval by both the State and Federal Government’s yesterday.
“The BHP expansion will offer enormous opportunities in South Australia with an expected 13,000 jobs and possible $45b injection into the economy over the next 30 years and I welcome the potential job and economic security this offers South Australia,” he said. “It’s a very exciting announcement”.
But Mr Ramsey said he had always been concerned about the siting of the desalination plant at Point Lowly and was concerned the safety-first principal may have been sacrificed in a hasty sign-off by the State Government to meet Mike Rann’s retirement schedule.
“The fact that the SA Government has chosen to keep the SARDI report, specifically commissioned to respond to BHP’s EIS a secret, is a cause for great concern,” he said.
“The report, which took 12months to compile, has been barely mentioned in the assessment, just briefly in connection with the mid-field modelling and once in the ecological monitoring and water quality section of the assessment.
“The public has the right to the report, it is funded by the tax-payer and we should be allowed to read it. If the report gives the absolute all-clear for the desal plant why wouldn’t Mike Rann release it? If he continues to refuse to do so then that should raise alarm bells with all of us.
“I have previously asked the Premier in writing to release the report and he has written back refusing my request. The question is, why?
“The potential for an ecological disaster is real and we must be certain there is nil risk to the environment and our very important fishing and aquaculture sectors”.
“I welcome the stipulation that the plant must cease production if prescribed salinity levels are exceeded, however we can be sure that once the plant is built it will be impossible to move or de-commission, so at the very least the public should be privy to the same information the Premier has.”
Media Contact: Leonie Lloyd-Smith (08) 86331744 Canberra (02) 62774967
October 11, 2011