UNESCO Decision Welcome News

 Media Release.

Wednesday, 19 June 2013 

THE Federal Labor Government will continue to tackle the threats to the Great Barrier Reef following this week's decision of UNESCO's World Heritage Committee. Senator for Queensland, Jan McLucas, today welcomed the committee's decision which recognises the Australian Government's commitment to protecting the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. "The Great Barrier Reef is one of Australia's treasures and is a vital environmental and economic asset to communities like Cairns and Port Douglas" Senator McLucas said. "With over two million people visiting to the reef each year, its management and protection is vital for future generations." "Threats to the Reef include climate change, coastal developments, agricultural run-off, ocean acidification and outbreaks of the crown-of-thorns starfish." "The Government is addressing each of these both on land and in the ocean." Senator McLucas said the Government had introduced a price on carbon to combat the impacts of climate change and Australia's network of marine reserves aimed to protect the oceans. "We have also provided another $200 million for the Reef Rescue program, to help primary producers in Reef catchments reduce runoff of nutrients, pesticides and sediments," she said. Senator McLucas also said the Government had invested in measures to control crown-of-thorns starfish in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and initiated research to identify innovative, longer-term solutions to control crown-of-thorns." "So far more than 75,000 crown-of-thorns starfish have been culled." "We are undertaking a comprehensive strategic assessment of the Great Barrier Reef to ensure its protection." "At the same time we are enabling sustainable, long-term development in the Great Barrier Reef coastal area." Background to Australian Government funding for reef protection • Australia continues to invest significantly to monitor and protect the reef, and increase its resilience in the long term, while allowing sustainable use • On 24 April 2013, the Prime Minister announced that the Reef Rescue program will be extended and expanded with a further $200 million provided to the program over the next five years. The program will now include improved management of wetland and riparian areas, as well as the quality of urban water that flows into the reef lagoon. The second phase will also continue to support the development of new cutting-edge water quality improvement technologies and the control of crown of thorns starfish. • Other key funding initiatives include: new funding of $8 million over two years from the Caring for our Country program for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority to continue its management and community-based Reef Guardian programs $12.5 million over four years starting in 2013 for the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, which raises funds and coordinates research in areas such as reef resilience and climate change $12 million over four years for reef ecosystem research through the National Environmental Research Program $2.13 million from the Caring for our Country program for the direct control crown-of-thorns starfish in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park $400,000 for research to identify innovative, longer-term solutions for the control of crown-of-thorns starfish. Crown of Thorns • The coral eating crown-of-thorns starfish, which can destroy coral faster than it can regenerate, is recognised as a significant threat to the reef. • An outbreak threatens not only the ecosystems and health of the reef, but also the economic viability of the tourism industry. The Australian Government is exploring strategies to bring emerging outbreaks under control or reduce their severity. • The Australian Government will boost the health of the reef by providing an additional $800,000 in funding this financial year (2013/14) to fight the crown-of-thorns starfish. This builds on the $1.43 million announced in 2012. • $700,000 will go to the Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators to put a second boat on the water to remove crown-of-thorns starfish on high-value tourism reefs identified as being under threat.$100,000 will go to the Australian Institute of Marine Science to undertake studies into finding innovative, longer-term solutions to the control of crown-of-thorns starfish by single injection. • Control of crown-of-thorn starfish by single injection is a promising technique that would be much faster and more efficient that the current practice of administering multiple injections to each starfish. • Under the first round of funding in 2012/13, tourism operations removed more than 37,500 crown-of-thorn starfish from tourism hotspots around Cairns, Port Douglas and the Whitsundays, restoring the ecological balance and strengthening the resilience of the target areas. • So far over 75,000 crown-of-thorns starfish have been culled.