Economic report on Channel Deepening too shallow to fathom

(Port Phillip Bay, Victoria, Australia)

The Inquiry into the economics of the Port Phillip Bay Channel Deepening project was released in the State Parliament today.

Greens MLC Greg Barber and committee member said; " The Committee's report confirms that the number of big ships that might need a deeper channel is quite small."

"This is one of the biggest unknowns, with the project's benefits highly sensitive to these sorts of estimates."

Government failed to provide and Committee failed to ask for the 'real' business case.

"On the economics of the project, the committee only looked at the information that was already in the public domain. The Government failed to provide and the committee
failed to ask for the 'real' business case. The Greens are now pursuing these secret documents under Freedom of Information, " Mr Barber said.

Committee ignored wider environmental and economic costs.

"The Committee didn't consider the wider environmental and economic costs. This still remains to be fully understood, " Mr Barber said.

Mr Barber claimed credit for the Greens in spotting the "white elephant" here. Mr Barber may be contacted on 0433 044711. http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/council/SCFPA/

Citizen Activists our most important force

Of course, the role of Jenny Warfe, Len Warfe, and the Blue Wedges team has been fundamental in bringing then keeping this matter in the public attention. Many other organisations, not necessarily the big well-known ones, have joined them. Local radio programs such as 3RPP, Radio Port Phillip, have tried to be vigilant and supportive of Bay activists.

Jill Quirk and Sheila Newman first interviewed and filmed the Warfes in 2004, shortly before they left for a meeting with Steve Bracks. A little later, Quirk and Newman flew over the Queen of the Netherlands, filming the dredge 'test plume'. After that we interviewed divers from the Victorian Sub-Aquatic Association, who were devastated at what was happening to their Bay.

It has been horrifying but educational to understand the flimsiness of the Coasian economic case which seems to underpin all State economic policy and a lack of interest in democracy.

The problems have not gone away and neither has the public opposition and indignation.
On the other side of the Mornington Peninsula which separates Port Phillip Bay from Hastings Port, Catharine Manning leads investigations and public concern and protest about a proposed 400 ha industrial development, which it seems is partly a 20 year project to facilitate infrastructure and transport for importing automobiles.

It is amazing that in this age of looming petroleum depletion governments and banks obdurately behave as if industry will continue to expand without end. In fact it boggles the mind and humbles one to the sheer rigidity of many human minds and the total absence of regard that governments show their constituents when it comes to the crunch.