Lifeline for reef in fight against ‘in danger’ ruling
The Great Barrier Reef has received almost $92 million as Australia races to stop the natural wonder being listed as “in danger” tag by UNESCO.
A lifeline worth almost $92 million has been thrown to the Great Barrier Reef as Australia scrambles to avoid an unwanted “in danger” ruling for the world famous wonder.
Home to dazzling coral and marine life, the tourist magnet that underpins about 77,000 jobs is under intense pressure from climate change, polluted runoff and repeated mass bleaching.
It has triggered the latest round of reef management federal funding as Australia sweats on UNESCO’s draft verdict on the natural wonder’s health in coming weeks.
The May budget has provided $91.8 million for projects to lift water quality, ramp up monitoring and trial coral‑spawning techniques designed to help damaged reefs bounce back faster after bleaching events.
Existing joint programs with Queensland will be expanded, and the cash comes on top of billions already promised through to 2030 under the Reef 2050 Plan.
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Since 2014, almost $4 billion has been pledged to protect the reef.
Environment and Water Minister Murray Watt said the package was about giving the reef a fighting chance.
“Basically, the funding is a mixture of expanding existing programs that we’ve had in place for a while with the Queensland government, including things like lifting the reef water quality, but also increasingly helping the reef adapt to climate change,” he told ABC Radio’s AM program.
As part of the rescue package, $56.9 million will go toward implementing the Reef 2050 Plan with $34.9 million for the marine park authority.
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The announcement came ahead of a July meeting of the World Heritage Committee where UNESCO could again push to list the site as “in danger”.
An official black mark would be a global embarrassment and a serious blow for reef tourism operators who rely on international visitors chasing a bucket list experience.
Senator Watt admitted the threat concerned the government, but insisted an “in danger” tag wouldn’t save a single coral.
“Our very strong position is that listing the Great Barrier Reef as ‘in danger’ won’t do anything to protect the reef,” he said.
“What it would do is deal a very damaging blow to our tourism industry internationally.
“If the reef is listed as ‘in danger’, we do believe that would deter international tourists from coming to Australia, having big economic effects while not doing anything to lift the reef’s protection.”
He argued UNESCO could see Australia “pulling every possible lever”, from extra funding to tougher environmental laws, and was confident the government could convince the committee it was serious about keeping the reef off the danger list.
The Queensland government and the Climate Council have been contacted for comment.
The funding announcement came as the commonwealth and Queensland government came under fire over claims coral was being chipped off the reef for wild live export trade for private aquariums.
A protest was held in Sydney on Thursday, with the Australian Marine Conservation Society claiming harvesters were taking up to 190 tonnes of coral a year.
-with AAP
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