Zussino defends offsets
UNESCO's brutal assessment of development in Gladstone Harbour continues to draw reactions.
Gladstone Ports Corporation yesterday rejected the report's finding that development of the Gladstone Harbour had not been matched by appropriate environmental offsets.
The report, released on Saturday, said: "It does not appear that offsets that were part of the conditions for consenting developments in Gladstone Harbour and on Curtis Island are appropriate and sufficient mitigation of the impact the facilities have on the property."
GPC chief executive Leo Zussino (pictured) countered that statement, saying a heavy emphasis had been placed on environmental offsets for the dredging project under way in Gladstone Harbour and that the review was appropriate.
"Gladstone Harbour is the most planned, the most studied and the most monitored harbour in the state," Mr Zussino said.
He said the dredging project, worth $1.5 billion, had $100 million in measures to offset environmental impacts.
He said it was disappointing that UNESCO's mission to Gladstone had spent so much time with green groups but appeared less interested in meeting GPC.
