Thursday, August 24, 2023

Issue:

Mackay and Whitsunday Life

$1.2 Billion Plan To Protect Reef Gains More Support

The Federal government has promised an additional $204 million towards protection of the Great Barrier Reef, upping its total spend on the world wonder to $1.2 billion.

Minister For Environment and Water Tanya Plibersek outlined the government’s vision for the future of the Reef last week in a joint statement with special envoy for the Great Barrier Reef, Nita Green.

That vision highlighted much of the work already being done through the Reef 2050 plan, as well as what the additional funding would address.

The $204 million is set to fund immediate action, tightening critical gaps in the long-term sustainability plan of the government major Reef 2050 project and speeding up reef protection activities.

Much was spoken of replanting efforts in parts of the reef with new corals, catchment restoration, working with fisheries and a new research centre in Gladstone.

“Together, we hope these measures can start to turn around the health of the reef, it is still a beautiful wonder of the world,” The environment minister said to the ABC.

“We’ve got a little breathing space in the last couple of years; we’ve seen some of those corals come back because we’ve had cooler weather and we need to build on that to protect.

Ms Plibersek said the funding will protect the reef itself as well as river systems and animals that are part of its wider ecosystem.

Alongside Queensland government, the newly announced funding tallies Australia’s total reef investment to more than $4.4bn from 2014-15 to 2029-30.

The Reef gains more financial support to fund vital projects

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