George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you very much indeed, Senator Waters. It is a very important question you ask, and I acknowledge your deep interest in the issue. We know that the two biggest threats to the Barrier Reef are climate change and water quality. Reefs around the world have been impacted in recent months by a global coral bleaching event of unprecedented magnitude. The impacts of this event are of deep concern to the Australian government just as they are to the governments responsible for other World Heritage sites impacted by the coral bleaching event.

The reef, however, is also showing resilience. The Great Barrier Reef is one of the best managed, most resilient coral reef ecosystems on the earth.