Media Release
Opposition Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk says a WWF-Australia
scorecard rating the Great Barrier Reef policies of the main parties
shows Labor can be trusted to protect Queensland’s natural icon.
“Today the WWF has given Labor resounding approval for our comprehensive plan to save the Reef, while it waits for the LNP to come up with a single positive conservation policy,” she said.
“Last week I said that a future Labor Government would commit $100 million over five years to better protect the Reef and halt the damage currently being caused. “Now we have a verdict from WWF-Australia on our comprehensive plan – and it is very positive.
“Today we announced another policy that will help the Reef. Our targets for solar power and renewable energy will help to combat the climate change that is a major threat to healthy coral and the abundant marine life it supports. “And that too has received a big tick of approval from the WWF.”
Shadow Environment Minister Jackie Trad said WWF-Australia chief executive Dermot O’Gorman had stressed the condition of the Reef was shaping up to be a major issue at the election.
“Queenslanders want stronger action to protect the Reef from dumping, dredging and farm chemical run off. “It is increasingly clear that only a Labor Government will meet Queensland’s obligation to protect and nurture the Reef and thereby support the 60,000 tourism jobs it supports and underpin the $6billion a year it contributes to the Queensland economy.
“In the past three years the LNP has weakened, rather than strengthened, protection for the Reef as global conservation bodies have warned that it is in peril.
“The Newman Government scrapped Labor’s tough coastal planning regulations and has refused to rule out dumping dredge spoil at sea and in ecologically sensitive wetlands,” she said.
“And, as the WWF points out, in this election campaign the LNP has not come up with a single policy that will benefit the Reef, stop farm pollution, protect wetlands and pristine areas of the coast, protect rivers or bushland or make Queensland a renewable energy state.” Labor’s comprehensive plan for the Great Barrier Reef includes:
“Today the WWF has given Labor resounding approval for our comprehensive plan to save the Reef, while it waits for the LNP to come up with a single positive conservation policy,” she said.
“Last week I said that a future Labor Government would commit $100 million over five years to better protect the Reef and halt the damage currently being caused. “Now we have a verdict from WWF-Australia on our comprehensive plan – and it is very positive.
“Today we announced another policy that will help the Reef. Our targets for solar power and renewable energy will help to combat the climate change that is a major threat to healthy coral and the abundant marine life it supports. “And that too has received a big tick of approval from the WWF.”
Shadow Environment Minister Jackie Trad said WWF-Australia chief executive Dermot O’Gorman had stressed the condition of the Reef was shaping up to be a major issue at the election.
“Queenslanders want stronger action to protect the Reef from dumping, dredging and farm chemical run off. “It is increasingly clear that only a Labor Government will meet Queensland’s obligation to protect and nurture the Reef and thereby support the 60,000 tourism jobs it supports and underpin the $6billion a year it contributes to the Queensland economy.
“In the past three years the LNP has weakened, rather than strengthened, protection for the Reef as global conservation bodies have warned that it is in peril.
“The Newman Government scrapped Labor’s tough coastal planning regulations and has refused to rule out dumping dredge spoil at sea and in ecologically sensitive wetlands,” she said.
“And, as the WWF points out, in this election campaign the LNP has not come up with a single policy that will benefit the Reef, stop farm pollution, protect wetlands and pristine areas of the coast, protect rivers or bushland or make Queensland a renewable energy state.” Labor’s comprehensive plan for the Great Barrier Reef includes:
- A commitment to ban seas-based disposal of dredge spoil in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area;
- to reinstate world-class planning regulations;
- to restore native vegetation protection laws to counter sediment run-off;
- to develop a new class of bulk goods vessels for the World Heritage Area;
- fight to ensure the Federal Government increases its financial contribution
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