Palaszczuk government reef actions “effective”: Global community

The UN World Heritage Committee has endorsed the Palaszczuk Government’s progress to protect the Great Barrier Reef.

The draft decision released in Paris overnight, “welcomes the progress made with the inception and initial implementation of the Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan (2050 LTSP) and the establishment of the Investment Framework, and expresses its appreciation for the significant efforts by all those involved in the implementation of the 2050 LTSP.”

Queensland’s Minister for the Great Barrier Reef Steven Miles welcomed the Committee’s report and said the draft decision recognised the intensity of work being undertaken to protect this international icon.

“The Palaszczuk Government has committed $100 million over 5 years in extra funding for reef water quality projects to improve the health and resilience of the reef.

“We have also banned capital dredging in all but four priority ports and banned the dumping of dredge spoil the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area,” he said.

Mr Miles said the Committee acknowledged the Queensland government for its progress in enforcing the reef regulations for agriculture and the successful implementation of the ports legislation.

“While we grapple with the devastating impact of coral bleaching, the global community have praised Queensland’s efforts to address water quality,” Mr Miles said.

“So many people have supported our reef water quality efforts, and this decision recognizes the progress made by government, farmers, industries and ports.

“These efforts are crucial for the survival of the reef and the 69,000 jobs it supports."

But the Committee also singled out the need to enforce reef regulations and the need for land clearing reform, both opposed by the Nicholls LNP Opposition.

“The Committee makes it clear we won’t meet our water quality targets without reef protection regulations and land clearing reform.”

“This sends a signal to Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls to support new regulations or put the reef’s World Heritage status at risk.

“It was the previous LNP government who dismantled reef and land clearing protections and who planned to dump dredge spoil on the reef.

“Labor has reversed some of that damage, but we can’t achieve our targets while the current parliament blocks sensible laws.”

Mr Miles said an overall report on the state of conservation of the Great Barrier Reef will be submitted to the Committee by 1 December 2019. That report will include an assessment of progress towards the targets and the effectiveness of the response to the bleaching events.

The draft decision is available at http://whc.unesco.org/en/soc/3658.

It will be considered by the World Heritage Committee at the upcoming meeting in Krakow, Poland from 2 to 12 July 2017.

ENDS