Great Barrier Reef to receive another $1 billion in funding to save jobs and environment
ABC News
January 27 2022
The Great Barrier Reef has deteriorated in recent decades due to pollution and climate change.
The federal government is set to make its largest-ever investment in saving the Great Barrier Reef, announcing an additional $1 billion towards improving water quality, reef management and research.
Key points:
More than $3 billion has been committed to protecting the Great Barrier Reef
New money will fund water-quality improvements and scientific research
The United Nations is due to report on the health of the reef next month
The government hopes the funding will help protect more than 64,000 jobs and $6.4 billion in tourism dollars attached to the reef economy.
More than half of the funding will go towards improving water quality through remediating erosion, improving land condition and reducing nutrient and pesticide run-off.
Environment Minister Sussan Ley said the $1 billion package would be managed by her department and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and would be delivered through local communities and industries, including traditional owners.
"Our farmers, tourism operators and fishers are our reef champions and we are supporting them through practical water and land-based strategies that will contribute significantly to the health of the reef," Ms Ley said.
Person snorkeling looks down towards corals while holding onto a line from a boat.
An additional $90 million will be invested in Great Barrier Reef research.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison told Brisbane radio station 4BC the additional funding would not just protect the reef but also the livelihoods of tourism businesses that rely on it.
"There's 64,000 jobs that are dependent on that reef and so its health is about the economic health of that region as well as the natural health of that region," he said.
Goverment accused of too little, too late
The federal government has faced calls to increase its efforts to preserve the Great Barrier Reef, since UNESCO warned last year it intended to list the reef as "in danger".
The government successfully staved off an immediate listing, but the reef still faces the prospect of being listed as "in danger".
What's next for the Great Barrier Reef?
Australia stopped the Great Barrier Reef being immediately listed as "in danger", but the government is under mounting pressure to demonstrate how it's tackling climate change.
The World Heritage Committee has asked UNESCO to undertake a monitoring mission but Ms Ley said they have not yet visited Australia.
“I've written to UNESCO. I've invited the reactive monitoring mission to come and look forward to further correspondence indicating that they will visit,” she told the ABC.
“I look forward to the reactive monitoring mission coming to Australia and seeing for themselves how our reef communities are working hard [and] are practising the strongest possible reef management.”
The federal government was also required to submit a report to UNESCO by next month that outlines how it is protecting the reef and, Ms Ley said, the report was on track to be sent soon.
Shadow Environment Minister Terri Butler said the government had waited too long to act on the reef.
"It shouldn't take five minutes to midnight, an election campaign and a UNESCO report to get this government to act on the reef, and frankly they need to do more on climate change," Ms Butler said.
"The government's announcement is for funding over 10 years or so— we don't even know how much of this money is supposed to be spent immediately, and how much is going to be spent in years seven, eight or nine.
"Australians are going to judge this government on what they have done over the past decade, not what they say they are going to do in a decade's time."
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority's chair has previously warned the health of the reef will continue to deteriorate without climate action.
Greens senator Larissa Waters said the "belated cash splash" was a distraction from the government's inaction on climate change.
"Climate policy is the most important factor in saving the reef, and the government's policy is crap," Senator Waters said.
Mr Morrison said the Great Barrier Reef was "the best-managed reef in the world", and the new funding was on top of $2 billion already invested in its sustainability plan.
"We are backing the health of the reef and the economic future of tourism operators, hospitality providers and Queensland communities [who] are at the heart of the reef economy," Mr Morrison said.
The government said it would direct scientific research funding to projects such as coral seeding, reef stabilisation, the development of heat-resistant coral and climate adaptation work with turtles and other marine species.
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