Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pledges $6m for children's’ trips to Great Barrier Reef

Labor plans on making it easier for schoolchildren to visit one of Australia’s most popular tourist destinations with a multi-million dollar cash splash.

Schoolchildren travelling to the Great Barrier Reef will benefit from $6m in rebates if Labor is re-elected next month, as Anthony Albanese pledges to boost education and awareness of Australia’s beleaguered world-famous ecological icon.

On Thursday, the Prime Minister is expected to announce $10m in funding for the Reef Educational Experience Fund, a money pool aimed at schools, tourism operators, and foreign visitors which highlights the importance of sustainable tourism.

Under the fund, $6m will be allocated to the “Kids for the Reef” rebate program, which will offer subsidised excursions to the reef for schools across Australia, making it easier for children to learn and experience the natural wonder first-hand.

“The Great Barrier Reef is one of our most precious and unique assets,” Mr Albanese said.

“We want to ensure our young people can experience the beauty of the reef while also learning about the important role it plays in our ecosystem. 

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has pledged $6m for children’s’ trips to Great Barrier Reef. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

“Our new REEF program is good for students, good for tourists and good for the environment.”

The Great Barrier Reef is one of the nation’s most widely-known and important tourism destinations, accounting for about 64,000 jobs and contributing $6.4bn to the economy.

Under the REEF program, $1m will also be spent supporting local operators, which Labor says will cover about 50 per cent of the cost for necessary upgrades, checks, or clearances to accommodate school groups.

A further $3m will go to Tourism Tropical North Queensland for targeted international advertising, highlighting not only the reef itself but how to protect it as well.

Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek claimed the Coalition had failed to protect the reef when in power, and instead cut marine parks and science jobs, and endangered its status as a world heritage-listed asset.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the reef is “one of our most precious and unique assets”. Picture: Jason Edwards / NewsWire

“Labor’s REEF program will inspire the next generation to protect and restore our precious Great Barrier Reef,” she said.

She said Labor Australia was “protecting more ocean than any other country on Earth”, while keeping the reef off UNESCO’s world heritage “in danger” list and doubling funding for marine science and renewable energy.

The reef also represents an opportunity for Labor who have their eyes set on the marginal seat of Leichardt.

Candidate Matt Smith said the reef supported many jobs in the region, in and out of the water.

“Supporting tourism on the Great Barrier Reef supports our economy by bringing more people to the region and into our stores and restaurants,” he said.

The Albanese government has boasted spending some $1.2bn on the reef since coming to power in 2022, including $180m to Reef HQ, $540m for water quality projects, an $5m to continue the Tourism Reef Protection Initiative.