On the day Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was in Townsville announcing a token outlay of $60million for Great Barrier Reef scientific research , steps to reduce runoff and an extended attack on the Crown of Thorns starfish , across the water , at the city's Jewel in the Crown - Magnetic Island - the great (extensively diminished ) Welcome to Magnetic Island wall of banners was in further disarray , collapsed in part , below , showing how well an important part of the GBR Marine Park is looked after and made look attractive and well run to tourists coming in by ferry .
The Townsville Bulletin , not surprisingly, ran a story quoting the PM as "slamming" Great Barrier Reef "doomsayers " and "green groups " speaking out about the condition of the reef and opposing the proposed Adani Carmichael mine , which would produce cleaner coal for India .
By this broadside , was he referring to Sir David Attenborough and Townsville's own coral expert Charlie Veron as these doomsayers ? The report did not say so , but did any reporter present ask the obvious question about the two who raised very important issues , climate change one of them , about the plight of the GBR in the recent brilliant three part television series ?
One memorable segment in the documentary showed the two men discussing the threats to the reef , its grim future if prompt and massive action is not taken , Veron , showing signs of exasperation , saying there was so much that government could do but was not .
Some time back , the Sydney Morning Herald carried an interesting interview with Veron , dubbed a second Charles Darwin by Attenborough , in which it was said he was planning to move away from the coast near Townsville to the Atherton Tablelands because of the inevitable increase in sea levels due to global warming / climate change . It seemed this uplift was prompted by a strong desire to save his books as much as not wanting to be inundated . Not the kind of story you would expect to read in the Townsville Bulletin, especially as the city is about to start building , for hundreds of millions , a limited use football stadium on the flat, not far from the seaside .
PS from Malcolm Turnbull . The latest newsletter from the PM highlights the new proposed TPP agreement , adds a PS - pointing out earlier in the week he had been in Townsville to announce a major investment to improve the health of the Great Barrier Reef. He then invited people to read the post , which attracted a large number of comments , mainly critical of him , the government , Adani .
