Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Hansard source

Let me reassure the chamber again: the Australian government is deeply committed to protecting the World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef. Of course, we understand and fully accept that climate change is a global issue and the most serious long-term threat to the health of coral reefs worldwide, including the Great Barrier Reef.

The centrepiece of Australia's reef protection effort is the Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan, jointly developed with the Queensland government. We are working with traditional owners, industry, scientists, farmers and the wider community to implement that plan. The Australian and Queensland governments are investing $2.7 billion between 2014-15 and 2023-24 to implement that plan. It's a plan that addresses the key threats to the reef by improving water quality and coastal habitats, tackling outbreaks of crown-of-thorns starfish, addressing plastics, and protecting threatened and migratory species—