George Christensen (Dawson, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister update the House on the actions the government is taking to protect the Great Barrier Reef?

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Dawson for his question. The Great Barrier Reef, of 1,000 islands and 3,000 reefs, that stretches 2,000 kilometres along our coastal seas, is not just one of the natural wonders of the world—

Ms Butler interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Griffith is also warned.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

but it is a great economic asset for Australia as well. Because this is a great economic asset and one of the natural wonders of the world, the future of the Great Barrier Reef is important to every single Australian. It is important to every single member of this parliament. That is why I was pleased to be with the member for Dawson, the Minister for the Environment and the Queensland Minister for Environment and Heritage at Hamilton Island on Saturday to announce a long-term sustainability plan for the Great Barrier Reef.

It was the Fraser government which banned drilling on the Great Barrier Reef. It was the Fraser government which established the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. It was the Fraser government which gave World Heritage listing to the Great Barrier Reef. It was the Howard government which established green zones over a third of the Barrier Reef to protect it from overfishing.

Mr Perrett interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Moreton will leave under 94(a).   

The member for Moreton then left the chamber.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

And this government has put in place a long-term sustainability plan for the Barrier Reef and, perhaps most importantly, this government has already ended the dumping of dredge spoil from capital dredging in the heritage listed areas of the Great Barrier Reef. This is a very important further step to protect the reef—the ending of the dumping of capital dredging spoil in the heritage listed Great Barrier Reef. It has been done by this government and it is in the great conservationist tradition of coalition governments over the decades.

At the heart of the long-term plan is water quality. Already, there has been a 10 per cent reduction in sediment, in fertiliser run-off; a 28 per cent reduction in pesticide run-off. By 2025, under the sustainability plan, there will be an 80 per cent reduction in fertiliser run-off and a 50 per cent reduction in sediment. To this end, we have added $100 million—it is now $140 million—to the Reef Trust. It will operate much the same as the Emissions Reduction Fund. It will go to landholders and seek the lowest-cost, most-effective ways to improve land and, in so doing, to protect the Barrier Reef.

This is an extraordinary national asset. It is something that we are entrusted with the custodianship of for our generation. We will protect it for our time so that, for all time, this marvellous wonder of the world can be enjoyed by humanity.