Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for Superannuation, Financial Services and the Digital Economy) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Waters. The Morrison government is deeply committed to protecting the World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef. We fully recognise that the Great Barrier Reef is facing pressure from climate change and from other impacts, but we do not support the recommendation to immediately place the reef on the list of World Heritage in danger and we will strongly oppose that recommendation. We think that this recommendation is premature and doesn't recognise the enormous efforts of the Australian and Queensland governments working with farmers and working with tourism operators, traditional owners and communities, right up and down the reef coast, to protect the reef and supporting them with a $3 billion joint investment.

The government has been stunned by the backflip on previous assurances from UN officials that the reef would not face such a recommendation prior to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee meeting that's being hosted by China this July. We are also concerned about a deviation from normal processes in assessing World Heritage property conservation status. The UNESCO draft decision has been made on the basis of a desktop review with insufficient firsthand appreciation of the outstanding science based strategies being jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland governments.

The last visit to the Great Barrier Reef by UNESCO officials was, in fact, in 2014. The Great Barrier Reef is the best managed reef in the world, and this draft recommendation has been made without examining the reef firsthand and without the latest information. Indeed, of the 83 in danger properties that have been identified by UNESCO, this is the only one that has been singled out, which makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. Of the 83 properties that have been assessed, this is the only one that has been singled out. All properties could end up on that in-danger list with no prospect of any individual state or party being able to get them off. (Time expired)