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Tuesday, 7 February 2012
Page: 283

Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities

(Question No. 1271)

Senator Boswell asked the Minister representing the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, upon notice, on 11 October 2011:

In regard to the deterioration of water quality in the Gladstone Harbour, Queensland, and testing that has been undertaken to determine the cause of diseased fish and the harmful effect on local fishermen due to handling diseased fish and contaminated nets:

(1) Is the Queensland Government testing for bacteria; if so:

(a) what are the plate levels of the bacteria;

(b) where in the harbor is this testing being undertaken;

(c) have samples been taken in the marina where reports of fishermen suffering from infection are prevalent; and

(d) are the levels of bacteria identified in the harbour the same type of bacteria identified as causing the lesions recently found on the local fisherman.

(2) Have the established processes for the investigation of water quality and fish kills been followed according to Government departmental protocols/manuals of the Department of Environment and Resource Management and Fisheries Queensland.

(3) What are the levels of acceptable turbidity set at and how was this

determined.

(4) Is the Minister aware of any exceedances of turbidity levels in the harbour; if so, when.

(5) How many testing points are there and where are they located.

(6) Were any missing data points interpreted as zero; if so, how many and what impact would this have in significantly underestimating the levels of turbidity in the harbour.

(7) Is the Minister confident that the current water testing regime and results have been comprehensive enough to exclude all possible causes of the diseases in the marine life in the harbour.

(8) Have tests been conducted or are they being conducted to measure the levels of polychlorinated biphenyl, hydrocarbons, pesticides, hydrogen sulphides and cadmium.

(9) As a matter of public record, will the names of the organisations conducting the tests in the harbour be made available and will the veracity of the data from these test results be independently audited.

(10) What other water sampling has been done in the harbour by the Gladstone Water Board and can a copy of these results be made available as a priority.

(11) Is the department closely monitoring the progress of the water tests in the harbour and the likely impact of dredging and dumping of spoil near the Great Barrier Reef on water quality.

(12) Does the Minister consider there is any risk to the World Heritage listing of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park given the ongoing environmental damage in the Gladstone region.

Senator Conroy: The Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

(1) The Australian Government has a role in regulating dredging activities in Gladstone harbour to the extent they are conducted under relevant approvals under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). The testing and regulation of water quality in Gladstone harbour is managed by Queensland state agencies. Specific questions relating to these tests should be directed to the relevant state agencies. The most recent reports received by the Department of Sustainability, Water, Environment, Population and Communities (the department) are:

Water Quality of Port Curtis and Tributaries - supplementary report based on data collected in the week of 26 September 2011: http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/environmental_management/water/water_quality_monitoring/documents/port-curtis.pdf

Fish Health Sampling Reports - Gladstone Harbour (As at 3 November 2011):

http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/documents/Fisheries_CommercialFisheries/BQ-Gladstone-Fish-Report-November-2011.pdf

(2) The investigation of water quality in relation to fish deaths is a matter for Queensland state agencies, including the Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management and Fisheries Queensland.

(3) The Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities approved the Western Basin Dredging and Disposal project on 22 October 2010 under the EPBC Act (EPBC 2009/4904). Under plans required by the conditions for that approval, threshold levels of turbidity are set. If those levels are exceeded, then the proponent must report exceedences, undertake an investigation and implement measures to reduce turbidity. Threshold turbidity levels are set at Nephelometric Turbidity Units (a standard measure of turbidity) and were determined from data taken over the last 15 years of background water quality in the Gladstone area, and on advice from the Dredge Technical Reference Panel established under the conditions.

(4) The Gladstone Port Corporation Ltd has reported three exceedances of turbidity to the department on 29 September 2011, 10 October 2011 and 25 October 2011. The required response measures were consequently implemented, including a suspension of dredging.

(5) There are over 175 water quality monitoring sites in the Gladstone area as part of the Port Curtis Integrated Monitoring Program, from the Narrows in the north to Seal Rocks in the south. The monitoring program is publically available at www.pcimp.com.au/

(6) Based on the data provided to the department by the Gladstone Ports Corporation for the purpose of EPBC conditions of approval, no missing data points have been interpreted as being zero.

(7) Under the conditions of approval imposed on the Western Basin Dredging and Disposal program, the proponent must implement a water quality monitoring program to protect sensitive marine ecosystems. The department is satisfied that the ongoing monitoring program to date (7 November 2011) has complied with the requirements of that program. The investigation of causes of diseases in marine life more generally is a matter for state regulatory agencies.

(8) Assessment of sediments was undertaken under an Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Act 1981 permit application and the EPBC Act assessment process. In the course of that assessment, the department received expert advice that the material to be dredged met the standards in the National Assessment Guidelines for Dredging 2009. The tests included tests for polychlorinated biphenyl and heavy metals such as cadmium.

(9) Water quality reports with respect to primary water quality monitoring sites are available publically on Gladstone Ports Corporation's website at http://www.gpcl.com.au/Environment/EnvironmentalMonitoring.aspx. Under the EPBC Act conditions of approval for the Western Basin Dredging and Disposal project (EPBC 2009/4904), compliance reports must be provided every 12 months. Under those conditions, the department may also require the proponent to undertaken an independent audit. To date (7 November 2011), the department has not required such an audit to be undertaken.

(10) The department has not received a water sampling report from the Gladstone Water Board.

(11) Yes.

(12) The department has invited a joint World Heritage Centre and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) reactive monitoring mission to the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage property. The Minister is confident that following their visit, the World Heritage Committee will be reassured that the Great Barrier Reef is managed to world best-practice standard.