Greens MLC Ian Cohen congratulates the No Ship Action Group and the Environmental Defender's Office for their legal campaign following today's decision from the Administrative Appeals Tribunal into the scuttling of the HMAS Adelaide.
"The presumptuous way in which the initial planning and approval was carried out is yet another example of both the Federal and NSW Governments disregarding due process and local community concerns to drive through an activity that was known to be environmentally detrimental" said Greens MLC Ian Cohen.
"From the outset, the people of NSW were misled over the assessment and removal of toxic chemicals from the HMAS Adelaide and it was only until this matter was taken to court that anything approximately a fair hearing was achieved. It is a great success that the Government will now be forced to clean up lead and PCBs on board before the HMAS Adelaide is scuttled.
"Imagine if Minister Tony Kelly had been allowed to go ahead with the scuttling in March as originally planned? We would be faced with an environmental catastrophe that would have passed on a toxic legacy to generations to come.
"The concerns of the local community that they were not being provided with comprehensive and accurate information about the environmental impact of the scuttling of the HMAS Adelaide have been proven to be valid by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal finding.
"Given the findings of the Tribunal and the lack of due process followed by the Federal Government in approving the scuttling without imposing conditions on first cleaning up the toxins, we must now question whether or not previous sinkings of decommissioned navy ships have been allowed to pollute our precious marine environment.
"I congratulate the No Ship Action Group and the Environmental Defender's Office for standing up to the Federal and NSW Governments to ensure that the local community and the environment were given the respect they deserve" said Mr Cohen.
Further Information: Ian Cohen 0409 989 466
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