Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Hume, the Minister representing the Minister for the Environment. Senator Hume, could you please update the chamber on Minister Sussan Ley's comments, or her updates, on the devastating and very concerning news that the Great Barrier Reef is experiencing its fourth mass coral bleaching in the last six years?

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

I thank Senator Whish-Wilson for his question. The Commonwealth government, the Morrison government, is deeply committed to protecting the world heritage listed Great Barrier Reef. The tourism industry, traditional owners, reef communities rely on the Morrison government's commitment to the reef and we will not let them down. Before COVID closed the world's borders, economic activity stemming from the reef was worth an estimated $6.4 billion annually and 64,000 jobs.

The Morrison government's enduring commitment to the protection of the reef was demonstrated just last Friday with the announcement of an additional $1 billion in new funding. This additional funding takes the total funding by the Australian and Queensland governments to more than $4 billion by 2030. More than $3 billion of this is from the Australian government. Benchmarked against global standards Australia's management of the reef is recognised as a leading example and is considered by many—

Slade Brockman (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, please resume your seat. Senator Whish-Wilson, on a point of order.

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) | Link to this | Hansard source

A point of order on relevance. I asked a very quick question. I asked the minister to update us on Minister Ley's comments regarding the devastating news from last week. We don't need talking points. I would actually like her to address my question.

Slade Brockman (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

I have heard your point of order. I have been listening to the minister's answer. The minister was being directly relevant to the question. I cannot direct a minister how to answer a question. The minister was being relevant to the question. I have been listening. Minister, you have the call.

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

Benchmarked against global standards, Australia's management of the reef is recognised as a leading example and is considered by many to be the gold standard for large-scale marine protected area management according to the UNESCO report. This $1 billion package will enhance Australia's world-leading management of the reef in four separate ways—

Slade Brockman (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, resume your seat. Senator McKim.

Nick McKim (Tasmania, Australian Greens) | Link to this | Hansard source

The point of order is on the same matter that Senator Whish-Wilson raised as a point of order—that is, relevance. The question specifically and only related to the current mass bleaching event on the Great Barrier Reef. The minister has not mentioned the mass bleaching event two-thirds of the way through the time allocated for the answer. I simply ask you, President, if you would remind the minister of the question, please.

Slade Brockman (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

You have had a chance to remind the minister of the question. I've been listening to the minister's answer. The minister was being relevant to the question. Minister, you have the call with 40 seconds remaining.

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

I am happy to mention mass bleaching—now it is mentioned—because mass bleaching is one issue that affects the Great Barrier Reef. Other issues that affect the Great Barrier Reef are changes in climate. Other issues that affect the Great Barrier Reef are crown-of-thorns starfish. This additional $1 billion investment, that takes the Commonwealth's funding up to $3 billion, is just one of the ways that we can address all of the issues that are facing the Great Barrier Reef, for which we are known as the gold standard in response to large-scale marine protected area management according to UNESCO itself. There are four ways that— (Time expired)

Slade Brockman (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Whish-Wilson, a supplementary question?

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) | Link to this | Hansard source

My supplementary question is to ask the same question a different way, so perhaps the minister can respond this time. What has the federal environment minister said about the fourth mass coral bleaching in the last six years on the Great Barrier Reef?

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

I thank Senator Whish-Wilson for saying it louder, because quite clearly I didn't hear it properly the first time! I will happily say that this additional $1 billion package that will enhance Australia's world-leading management of the reef will do so in four ways. First and foremost, it will accelerate progress towards water quality targets. We are extending efforts to improve reef water quality and meet our agreed targets under—

Slade Brockman (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Whish-Wilson, on a point of order.

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) | Link to this | Hansard source

A point of order on relevance. This is an international crisis and the minister is refusing to answer the question. It is a disgrace. It is a bloody disgrace—

Slade Brockman (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Whish-Wilson, resume your seat. This is not a debating time. There is no point of order.

Honourable senators interjecting—

Senator Whish-Wilson, I am not aware what people are asking you to withdraw, and I do not wish you to repeat it; however, if you said something that you should withdraw, please withdraw it.

I will review the transcript following question time. Minister, you have the call.

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

This new $1 billion investment, which is in addition to the existing $4 billion investment between the Commonwealth and the Queensland governments, will accelerate progress towards water quality targets. In addition to that it will continue our world-leading reef management and conservation partnerships.

Slade Brockman (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, resume your seat. Senator Whish-Wilson?

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) | Link to this | Hansard source

The question was: what has the environment minister said about the mass coral bleaching? What has she said?

Slade Brockman (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

This is not a debating time, Senator Whish-Wilson. As I've said already on a number of occasions today, I cannot direct the minister how to answer a question. You have brought the minister back to the question that you asked; however, I have been listening to the minister's answer and I believe she was relevant to the question. Minister, you have the call and you have 21 seconds remaining.

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

The third thing that that money will do is support climate adaptation science research and development. The fourth—

Slade Brockman (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, resume your seat. Senator McKim?

Nick McKim (Tasmania, Australian Greens) | Link to this | Hansard source

President, I have a point of order. The point of order is direct relevance. I simply ask you, please—later or now, as you wish, Mr President—to rule on whether a question that is seeking specifically a response as to what the minister said about an issue can be responded to in a relevant way by simply talking about the issue. I think that is the matter that would assist the Senate. Could you rule on that? I am very happy for you to take it away and come back at your leisure, President. I do think it's an important matter to have clarified for the Senate.

Slade Brockman (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

I will come back to the chamber tomorrow with a fulsome explanation; however, I believe that the minister was being directly relevant to the question in answering the way she has. I will explain my position tomorrow. Minister, you have the call for 14 seconds.

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

Finally, the fourth element of that funding will fund on-the-ground community and traditional owner led projects. I understand that Labor and the Greens tend to seek to politicise the reef, but the coalition will continue its long legacy of protecting it. (Time expired)

Slade Brockman (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

A second supplementary question, Senator Whish-Wilson?

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) | Link to this | Hansard source

Two UNESCO scientists have been in Australia in the last week visiting the Great Barrier Reef at this government's invitation to assess whether climate change is impacting the World Heritage values of the Great Barrier Reef and its UNESCO listing. Can you confirm that those scientists visited reefs that have bleached? If so, which reefs did they visit?

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

I can confirm that scientists were here in association with the reef authority. Reef authority staff have been working with those research partners from the Australian Institute of Marine Science to conduct aerial surveys across the reef. Those surveys concluded on Wednesday 23 March, but the results are still being analysed. The minister is aware that these surveys have detected widespread coral bleaching over a large area of the reef. These surveys indicate variable levels of bleaching between different regions—

Slade Brockman (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, please resume your seat. Senator Whish-Wilson, a point of order?

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) | Link to this | Hansard source

I have a point of order on relevance, President.

Slade Brockman (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm happy to rule straightaway. The minister was being directly relevant, Senator Whish-Wilson. She could not have been more relevant.

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) | Link to this | Hansard source

No. These surveys have nothing to do with the UNESCO visit.

Slade Brockman (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Whish-Wilson, points of order are not an opportunity to debate.

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) | Link to this | Hansard source

Having a minister who actually knows what she's talking about—

Slade Brockman (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Whish-Wilson, resume your seat! Question time is not a debating forum. Senator Whish-Wilson, there was no point of order.

Senator Whish-Wilson! Minister, you have the call and you have 35 seconds remaining.

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

These surveys indicated variable levels of bleaching between different regions and between different reefs. Some reefs are unaffected; others are experiencing minor paling; and some, where the heat stress is greatest, are severely impacted—that is correct. It's important to note that corals can in fact survive bleaching events, some corals will be mildly or moderately affected and some will recover when favourable conditions return. The bleaching follows a summer of very hot weather and record-breaking temperatures across the reef. The reef authority will continue to brief the minister on reef conditions as the data becomes increasingly available.