Western Australia: The Esperance Port Authority has pleaded guilty to lead pollution charges and is facing over US$1 million in fines.
The West Australian Government-owned corporation pleaded guilty yesterday to the incident which poisoned seven children aged less than five years of age, and the killing of some 9,000 birds between December 2006 and January 2007.
"We should rightly be held to account," said Esperance Port Authority Chief Executive Dennis Parsons. "The port has no problem standing up to its responsibility in this matter. The port acknowledges errors of judgment were made and accepts its share of responsibility.
"However, there was never any deliberate wrong-doing by anybody at the port."
The port corporation will be sentenced at the Esperance Magistrates Court in September and will face a maximum fine of US$1.05 million.
