Julian Simmonds (Ryan, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for the Environment. Will the minister outline to the House how the Morrison government is supporting local communities located along the Great Barrier Reef as they face the economic challenges that have arisen from the COVID pandemic?

Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Ryan for his question. As a Queenslander, he knows the importance of the Great Barrier Reef and its communities to every single Australian. Whether it be Indigenous sea rangers spearing crown-of-thorns starfish or a tropical paradise where you can swim, snorkel, sail, dive or explore the ancient Daintree rainforest against an unforgettable natural marine environment, the reef is extraordinary. It normally contributes $6.4 billion annually to the national economy and generates 64,000 jobs.

We're providing much-needed relief to regional economies along the Great Barrier Reef. We know they depend on tourism and are facing unprecedented circumstances with COVID-19. We've acted in several key areas. We've waived permit fees for tourism businesses till June 2021. We've waived lease payments on Commonwealth owned islands. We've committed funding to Reef HQ in Townsville—I know the member for Herbert will be on my case to do more for this great natural display of marine life that provides education and jobs in his main city. We're building on the $27 million towards Reef HQ in December last year. Through legislation recently passed in the parliament, tourism operators do not have to remit the charge collected from visiting tourists—the so-called environment management charge. The members for Dawson and Leichhardt worked hard and helped to make this possible. Indeed, the Whitsunday charter boat association described it as more of a godsend than we realise.

Our fantastic reef envoy, the member for Leichhardt, can't be here today—he's with his community in North Queensland. He said:

Combined with other economic support packages like JobKeeper, this has ensured reef tourism operators have been able to retain staff until we return to some semblance of normality. It has helped save jobs that would otherwise have been lost and it also provides financial relief to people who have spent a lifetime establishing world-class tourism operations.

These short-term economic measures complement our ongoing commitments to the reef, which are benchmarked against global standards. Our management is recognised as a leading example and is considered by many to be the gold standard, according to a UNESCO report. We are investing $1.9 billion in the Reef 2050 Plan and, as the Treasurer has said, our economic supports, whether they be JobKeeper or what we're providing through the relief and recovery fund, are all about keeping businesses viable and keeping Australians in jobs so we can come out the other side stronger and successful and, in this case, showcase this extraordinary national wonder to the world.