BY Englebert Schmidl
THE STATE Government has forsaken truth for expediency with its bay dredging inquiry, according to environmental groups.
“It was more of the same today,” said Jenny Warfe, a spokeswoman for Blue Wedges, a coalition against channel deepening and dredging in Port Phillip Bay.
“Because of the terms of reference, there was no cross-examination allowed of the experts, making the pursuit of truth very difficult.”
She said the current three-member panel inquiry, convened on 18 June, was very different to the last round of public hearings in 2004.
“The panel members don’t have the same level of expertise as last time,” she said.
Len Salter, a diving industry spokesman, said the inquiry’s terms of reference did not allow adequate questioning of experts presenting evidence to the inquiry.
“It makes a complete farce of the whole proceedings,” Mr Salter said.
A spokesman for Planning Minister Justin Madden rejected criticisms of the current inquiry into the Supplemetal Environmental Effects Statement (SEES).
“The panel inquiry is not a farce. It is being conducted openly by an independent panel who can take advice from a group of expert scientists.
“Witnesses cannot be cross-examined because it is an inquiry not a court of law. If parties want to examine submissions and supporting evidence they can do this by questioning the inquiry with the option to submit questions through the chair.
“The inquiry is building on earlier consultation for the first Environmental Effects Statement (EES), which allowed cross-examination, as well as the written submissions in response to the EES.”
One of the inquiry’s terms of reference states “any discussion sessions will be exploratory and constructive, and adversarial behaviour will be discouraged.”
The Australian Conservation Foundation called the SEES document disappointing and said it “exaggerates the economic benefits” while not properly addressing 137 concerns raised by the first planning panel.”
The mayor of Hobsons Bay Leigh Hardinge will present a submission to the panel on behalf of the council on 28 June.
The submission supports the project in principle acknowledging its importance to shipping and its potential economic benefits, but says the State Government must adequately address environmental concerns through a transparent and public process.
The SEES has been on exhibition since 22 March 2007 and the current panel inquiry will sit for six weeks.
