Media Release
A future Labor Government would commit $100 million over five
years in a bid to better protect Queensland’s iconic Great Barrier Reef
and cease damage currently being caused, Opposition Leader Annastacia
Palaszczuk said today.
Speaking in Cairns, Ms Palaszczuk said a Labor Government would invest $20 million each year to improve water quality within the reef area as well as create a high-level taskforce of key stakeholders and fight for increased Federal Government funding.
Ms Palaszczuk said the actions of the Newman and Abbott Governments had cast a shadow over the reef’s future and had put the $6 billion and 60,000 jobs it contributes to the Queensland economy each year at risk.
“The poor health of the Great Barrier Reef has attracted international attention,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“Australia faces the real possibility that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World Heritage Committee will decide to officially list the reef as ‘in danger’ in 2015.
“Unfortunately, it’s clear that the Newman Government does not recognise the scale of the problem confronting the Great Barrier Reef and only Labor will act decisively to protect it for future generations."
“Due to the failure of the Newman Government’s approach, it’s now extremely unlikely that we will be able to meet the Reef Water Quality Protection Plan’s target of no detrimental impact to the Great Barrier Reef through agricultural water quality by 2020.”
Ms Palaszczuk said a Labor Government was committed to:
“There can be little doubt that the amount of funding allocated by the Newman and Abbott Governments to improve the health of the Great Barrier Reef is inadequate."
“The Newman Government has not increased funding to save the Reef in line with inflation which means the current allocations are less effective than in 2009."
“The Abbott Government has even cut funding to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and Australian Institute of Marine Science, the very organisations charged with the responsibility of protecting and conducting research on our reef."
“Putting aside the fact that the Great Barrier Reef contributes billions each year to the Queensland economy, it’s a natural asset and a beautiful wonder of the world."
“It deserves protection from a government ready to make adequate commitments.”
Ms Palaszczuk said the high-level taskforce would be required to report within a year of commencing and consider the effectiveness of robust regulations, a market-based trading mechanism or a combination of both.
The announcement comes on top of Labor’s previous announcement to ban the dumping of capital dredge spoil within the Great Barrier Reef world Heritage Area.
Speaking in Cairns, Ms Palaszczuk said a Labor Government would invest $20 million each year to improve water quality within the reef area as well as create a high-level taskforce of key stakeholders and fight for increased Federal Government funding.
Ms Palaszczuk said the actions of the Newman and Abbott Governments had cast a shadow over the reef’s future and had put the $6 billion and 60,000 jobs it contributes to the Queensland economy each year at risk.
“The poor health of the Great Barrier Reef has attracted international attention,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“Australia faces the real possibility that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World Heritage Committee will decide to officially list the reef as ‘in danger’ in 2015.
“Unfortunately, it’s clear that the Newman Government does not recognise the scale of the problem confronting the Great Barrier Reef and only Labor will act decisively to protect it for future generations."
“Due to the failure of the Newman Government’s approach, it’s now extremely unlikely that we will be able to meet the Reef Water Quality Protection Plan’s target of no detrimental impact to the Great Barrier Reef through agricultural water quality by 2020.”
Ms Palaszczuk said a Labor Government was committed to:
- boosting annual funding for water quality and environmental sustainability programs by allocating an additional $100 million over five years
- Reducing nitrogen run-off by up to 80% in key catchments such as the Wet Tropics and the Burdekin by 2025
- Reducing total suspended sediment run-off by up to 50% in key catchments such as the Wet Tropics and the Burdekin by 2025
- constituting a high-level taskforce with representatives from local government, conservation groups, primary producers, tourism operators and leading scientists to determine the best possible approach to meet our strict targets.
- fight to ensure the Federal Government provides at least a commensurate increase in funding to Great Barrier Reef protection programs
“There can be little doubt that the amount of funding allocated by the Newman and Abbott Governments to improve the health of the Great Barrier Reef is inadequate."
“The Newman Government has not increased funding to save the Reef in line with inflation which means the current allocations are less effective than in 2009."
“The Abbott Government has even cut funding to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and Australian Institute of Marine Science, the very organisations charged with the responsibility of protecting and conducting research on our reef."
“Putting aside the fact that the Great Barrier Reef contributes billions each year to the Queensland economy, it’s a natural asset and a beautiful wonder of the world."
“It deserves protection from a government ready to make adequate commitments.”
Ms Palaszczuk said the high-level taskforce would be required to report within a year of commencing and consider the effectiveness of robust regulations, a market-based trading mechanism or a combination of both.
The announcement comes on top of Labor’s previous announcement to ban the dumping of capital dredge spoil within the Great Barrier Reef world Heritage Area.
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