VECCI welcomes trial dredging

The Victorian Government's decision announcing that trial dredging will go ahead is a small but important step towards the project proceeding, says VECCI.

"This is a project of immense economic benefit to the people of Victoria, and can be achieved with minimal environmental impact", says VECCI Chief Executive Officer, Mr Neil Coulson.

"It is important to note that this project has commercial imperatives driving it and that appropriate timeframes will be required to finalise the EES process to provide certainty to industry.

"Far from being the environmental disaster some opponents of channel deepening claim it is, trial dredging is the result of the recommendation of an independent panel - the process will also be subject to strict environmental monitoring overseen by an independent EPA auditor.

"We look forward to channel deepening being considered on a rational, scientific basis.

"It is not a case of the environment versus the economy - infrastructure projects of this size require a co-existence between the two.

"The importance of channel deepening is underlined by the national and State economic context:

• Australia has just experienced a record current account deficit - at the same time, it is widely acknowledged that major investment is required in trade-related infrastructure
• the Reserve Bank has indicated that we may face inflationary pressures in the near future - deepening the Port Phillip Bay shipping channels will reduce per unit costs for importers and exporters, mitigating against inflationary pressures
• trade growth will boom in the Asia-Pacific region over the nest two decades, and the Victorian Government has ambitious export targets - $30 billion worth of exports by 2010
• channel deepening is a key plank of the Government's 2005 Economic Statement, designed to drive Victoria's future growth."