Labor promises funding boost for Great Barrier Reef

Anthony Albanese’s funding promise for the Great Barrier Reef has been slammed by the Liberals, who say Labor has either made a mistake in their announcement – or they’re ‘simply lying’.

Labor has been accused of a “big lie” in its funding announcement for the Great Barrier Reef, with the Liberals saying Anthony Albanese has “offered no new strategy because (he) knows the Morrison Government has the right plan in place”.

On Friday morning the Labor leader promised to boost protection for the Great Barrier Reef with $194.5 million in funding set aside for coral protection programs. This was a $30 million increase on a $163m package the ALP pledged back in January.

Labor said with its new funding package, total investment in the reef would now come to $1.2 billion between now and 2030.

Among other measures, Labor said it would “continue and double” funding for the Reef 2050 plan, which is due to end in mid 2023.

The funding package also includes a boost to crown of thorn starfish culling programs, and money for a research project into the development of thermal resistant corals at the Australian Institute of Marine Science.

The Great Barrier Reef has emerged as a key election issue, just over a week out from polling day. Picture: Supplied

But the Liberals said the Labor announcement came “with a big lie” – the suggestion that funding for the Reef 2050 plan ends in 2023.

“Labor is either incapable of reading a budget paper or is simply lying as the Government’s funding is to 2029-30,” the Liberals said in a statement.

“Labor is only now trying to match the Coalition’s $1b for the Reef 2050 Plan, which sees nine years of funding for the Reef. The Morrison Government is driving record investment in the Reef, committing an additional $1 billion in 2022, taking our overall commitment to $3 billion.”

The Liberals also criticised Labor for failing to mention its earlier promise to cut the $443 million funding to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, a controversial item in the 2018 federal budget.

The Foundation was already delivering some 330 projects benefiting the reef, many of which were led by traditional owners, the Liberals said in their statement.

The Great Barrier Reef stuns with its beauty, but is threatened by coral bleaching. Picture: Tourism Australia

The fracas over funding comes just two days after a dramatic new report on the health of the reef was released.

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) Reef Snapshot report, released on Tuesday evening, found recent marine heatwaves had a dramatic impact, with coral bleaching now clearly evident from the air in 91 per cent of monitored reefs.

The funding announcement comes amid increasing national and international concern about the state of the Great Barrier Reef, with UNESCO’S World Heritage Commission (WHC) set to reassess whether it should officially be designated “in danger” next year.

An earlier WHC attempt to mark the reef “in danger” was thwarted in July last year after a concerted lobbying campaign by Environment Minister Sussan Ley.

The timing of the release of recent reef health reports has also raised eyebrows.

Twenty-four hours after it was asked to comment on the timing of the publication of the Reef Snapshot on Tuesday evening, the GBRMPA defended its approach.

“The Snapshot … summarises the Reef health updates which were provided weekly on our website and shared through social media throughout the summer,” GBRMPA said in its statement.

Federal Labor leader Anthony Albanese pictured in Gladstone on Thursday. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Labor’s official statement on its new funding package stated “an Albanese government will not engage in political games and instead will work in partnership with the Queensland State Government, experts, First Nations communities, businesses and landholders to protect the 64,000 jobs that rely on the reef.”

Mr Albanese said seeing the reef was “a highlight for so many Australians” but “parents

and grandparents are worried their children will not be able to see this incredible natural wonder for themselves”.

“That’s why it’s so important we act on climate change and species protection – to protect the reef and the tens of thousands of jobs that rely on it,” he said.

The Australian Conservation Foundation welcomed Labor’s funding commitment, but spokesperson Basha Stasak said it would not protect the reef from climate change.

“Rapid global heating is whacking the reef through multiple regular coral bleaching events,” she said.

“Labor and the Coalition support ongoing coal and gas mining – this will further hit reefs. Money for restoration and resilience work is great; strong national environment laws and cutting emissions from coal and gas is critical.

Similar comments came from WWF spokesperson Richard Leck.

“Currently, Australia does not have a climate change policy that gives the Reef a fighting chance,” he said. “The next Australian Government must significantly step up its ambition on climate in order to give the Reef a future, and implement real action to drive down greenhouse emissions this decade.”

Originally published as Labor promises funding boost for Great Barrier Reef