The Australian Democrats today attacked the state government for proposing to pump contaminated material off the shore of Adelaide’s metropolitan beaches.

The contaminated material is predominantly rotting seaweed that has accumulated in large amounts at the new West Beach Boat Harbour.

"No industry would be allowed to pump contaminated material out to sea just 200m from Adelaide’s beaches, but the state government expects to get away with it," Australian Democrats leader Mike Elliott said today.

"The impact on the vital seagrasses along our coast will be devastating.

"It is just another example of the total failure of the Environmental Impact Statement in relation to the Glenelg / West Beach development and raises serious questions about the role of the state government in the environmental approval process.

"As joint venturers in the project, the state government continues to be responsible for carrying out environmental impact assessments, approving construction and maximising profits (or in this case losses!)

"This is a potential conflict of interest on the part of the state government.

"Their rush to fast track the development has resulted in a series of environmental blunders.

"Now these blunders are not only piling up and being dug up, but they are also being pumped off shore.

"It seems everyone except the state government is able to see there are real problems at West Beach that need to be fixed, not pumped out of sight.

"The Glenelg / West Beach development is looking more and more like the story of the tar baby with the state government sinking into deeper and deeper trouble."