Greens MLC Mark Parnell slams ‘secret’ hearing into Flinders Ports’ plan to dredge the Port River as a ‘farce’

A CLOSED-DOORS hearing today into Flinders Ports’ bid to dredge the Port River has been labelled a “farce” by Greens MLC Mark Parnell, who has called on the State Government to make the process public.

The dredge plume in Gulf St Vincent after Flinders Ports’ last dredging operation in 2005. Picture: Friends of Gulf St Vincent

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CRUCIAL advice from the Environmental Protection Agency on Flinders Ports’ bid to dredge the Port River is being kept “secret”, according to Greens MLC Mark Parnell and local environment groups.

The State Commission Assessment Panel (SCAP), SA’s prime planning authority, held an “invitation only” closed-doors hearing this morning with Flinders Ports and local environmental groups invited to make submissions about the private port operator’s plans.

Mr Parnell said holding the meeting in private was a “farce” which made a “mockery of both the independence of the EPA and the ... planning commission’s commitment to openness and accountability”.

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Up for debate was Flinders Ports’ proposal to dredge 1.5 million cubic metres of sea matter to widen the channel at Outer Harbor and dump the spoil in Gulf St Vincent.

According to Flinders Ports, the Outer Harbor shipping channel and swing basin needs to be widened to accommodate increasingly broader cargo and cruise ships.

The number of ships visiting SA is expected to double this year.

“The project is responding to this change in vessel size as the key driver to ensure economic operations are maintained to support South Australian trade and avoid any decrease through use of alternative Australian ports and land routes,” the company’s application says.

Today’s hearing into Flinders Ports’ application was left off SCAP’s public agenda.

Greens MLC Mark Parnell.

The Portside Weekly Messenger was prevented from attending as only those invited to address the panel were allowed entry.

A State Government spokeswoman said this was because the planning authority was “not the decision-maker for these types of developments” and Planning Minister John Rau would have the final say.

Such matters were therefore not listed on the authority’s meeting agendas, she said.

“The EPA will publicly release its report after SCAP has considered the advice,” she said.

The decision to keep the EPA’s advice private was slammed by Mr Parnell, who said it was “outrageous that one of the most important and influential pieces of advice, paid for by the public, won’t be released prior to the assessment of this massive $50 million dredging project”.

He called on Mr Rau to “pull the plug” on the current process and instead declare the dredging a major development, which would mean any environmental impact study would be made available to the public.

“We are not saying the channel shouldn’t be widened and dredging shouldn’t go ahead,” he said.

“It is really about doing it properly so we don’t have a repeat of what happened 13 years ago.”

Flinders Ports wants to dredge the Port River to allow access to container and cruise ships. Picture: Roger Wyman

On that occasion, 2000ha of sea grass was killed off, with widespread depletion of fish stocks.

Opposition environment spokesman David Speirs said he was “increasingly concerned regarding the secrecy surrounding this matter”.

“I support the call for the EPA to make their advice public ... the government has to come clean about what exactly is being proposed,” Mr Speirs said.

Tony Bazeley, from the Port Adelaide Residents Environment Protection Group, also criticised the government for not making the hearing open to the public.

“This is not a mistake — it’s by design,” Mr Bazeley said.

“Respondents (did) not have access to the planning assessment so cannot comment on its accuracy or bias.

Tony Bazeley from the Port Adelaide Environment Action Group.

“Respondents (were) not able to see the proponent’s response to their submissions

so cannot challenge assertions.

“The only information the committee will have is the proponent’s response. The 2005 dredging campaign was disastrous — this time around it’s essential that every aspect is open to public scrutiny.”

Jim Douglas, from the Western Adelaide Coastal Residents group, accused the State Government of wanting the dredging to go ahead “without considering community and environmental concerns”.

An EPA spokeswoman said once its report had been considered by the planning authority, it would be uploaded to its website but could not give a date for release.

Flinders Ports declined to comment.