Media Release

THE science which has deemed the Great Barrier Reef to be ‘very poor’ will be audited by the Auditor General should a Resolution drafted by Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter gain support in the Parliament.

The resolution comes as former JCU Professor Peter Ridd was successfully awarded compensation after his contract was wrongly terminated by the University for voicing his differing opinions on reef quality.

Mr Katter said his resolution echoed Professor Ridd’s public views and calls for the Auditor General to set up an audit which focuses on the reef science specific to Reef turbidity, sediment and nutrient runoff for six Queensland catchments; Cape York, Wet Tropics, Burdekin, Mackay Whitsunday, Fitzroy and Burnett Mary.
Fronting media in the Mural Hall tody, Mr Katter said, “The decision in the Peter Ridd case against James Cook University carries the most serious consequences for the intellectual ruling class.

“The Professor Ridd case is a tectonic plate shift.
“Every single report on tourism in North Qld is disastrously bad. The name of the Great Barrier Reef has been dragged through the mud continuously.
“Our justice system has worked. The Galileo Spanish Inquisition: The burning at the stake of people that disagree with conventional wisdom; this persecution has been stopped by the Courts.
“We will now be moving a Resolution in the House of Representatives requesting the Auditor General carries out an audit into the science behind the constant denigration of the Great Barrier Reef, and, a forensic audit specifically into the $120 million allocated for Crown of Thorns starfish removal and the subsequent $443 million reef plan.
“We are in receipt of a brown paper envelope given to us with documents, which have also been supplied to the Australian Federal Police. These documents raise the most serious concerns about certain people who are constantly denigrating the Great Barrier Reef and consequently securing reef rescue monies. It will be determined in whose pockets did the $120 million land, and what did we get for this generous largesse.
“The Peter Ridd case is far from over.”

Mr Katter said it was vitally important that the science was quality checked to ensure that Australia’s vital primary industry was not impacted based on propaganda.

“When Robert Hill, in the Howard Ministry, announced reef runoff regulations, I said there was no way in the world that sugar could survive those regulations and there is no evidence that the current LNP’s views have changed on the reef.”
Professor Ridd is expected to meet with the Liberal National Party when he visits Canberra on Monday.

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