Two board members of the body that protects the Great Barrier Reef reportedly have substantial mining interests and links to corrupt former New South Wales Labor government minister Eddie Obeid.
The Environment Minister in Australia’s conservative Liberal-National government, Greg Hunt, has ordered a probity check on the allegations.
Documents obtained by the ABCTV program 7.30 show the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) has taken an increasingly weaker position on new port developments near the iconic World Heritage listed reef.
AAP Newsagency reports Greenpeace spokeswoman Louise Matthiesson says that’s because two board members have potential conflicts of interest.
Jon Grayson is director-general of Premier Campbell Newman’s department and represents the state on the board.
He owns a one sixth share of Gasfields Water and Waste Services, a company founded in June.
Eddie Obeid Jnr, the son of Eddie Obeid, who has been investigated for corruption while a minister in the former NSW Labor government, sold off another sixth share in the same company in August.
Tony Mooney, a former mayor of Townsville, is an executive at Guildford Coal, a company which plans to run six mines and funded a feasibility study into the expansion of Townsville port.
Mr Mooney received a $5000 donation from the Obeid Corporation when he ran for federal parliament in 2010.
AAP reports the board has been asked to take a position on a series of massive port developments being planned along the Queensland coast, which environmentalists warn will devastate the reef.
Board meeting minutes show it changed its position in September 2012 from not supporting any developments with the potential to degrade inshore biodiversity to saying that new developments should take inshore biodiversity into consideration.
Ms Matthiesson believes Mr Grayson and Mr Mooney influenced that decision and they should step aside.
“We’re really concerned that at the board level, there does seem to be some pressure to find compromises to allow development to go ahead, and to basically give more weight to the interests of the coal and gas industry,” she told ABCTV’s 7.30 program.
“So they’re not necessarily following the best scientific advice that they’re getting from their staff.”
“The new (federal) Environment Minister Greg Hunt was not responsible for appointing them.
“We’d urge him to have a close look at their interests and revisit the decision to have them on the board,” she told the 7.30 program.
Queensland’s conservative Liberal National Party (LNP) government has rejected any suggestion Mr Grayson has a conflict of interest.
“Following his appointment, and in accordance with the Queensland integrity commissioner’s advice, Mr Grayson ceased to have any management involvement in active companies,” a statement said.
“His retention of passive interests is in accordance with the commissioner’s advice and poses no real or potential conflict of interest.”
Mr Mooney has also said he’s declared all possible conflicts of interest.
Both men declined to be interviewed.
In a statement, the GBRMPA said the changes in position were necessary and still delivered protection.
“The board asked for the change to the initial words as a matter of clarification because, if taken literally, they would mean opposition to any activity whatsoever, no matter how insignificant the impact might be,” it said.
A spokesman for Mr Hunt said the appointments were made under the former Labor government and that the Minister has ordered an immediate probity inquiry.
Australian Greens Party spokeswomen Senator Larissa Waters said the allegations were worrying and require investigation.
“If these allegations are true, those board members should step down immediately,” she said.
“Management of the reef must be free from mining interests, and members of the board should put the future of this World Heritage icon before their own self-interest and the profits of big miners.
“I will be asking questions of GBRMPA in Senate Estimates about how conflicts of interest are prevented, disclosed and managed, and what steps will be taken to ensure that the public can have confidence in the board in future.”
2 Responses
Tip of the ice burg. Australia the land of mass corruption where it is even legal in the form of political donations and lobbying.
Do you have a contact number and address for the company Gasfields Water and Waste Services that you could provide to me?