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

As I said, the Morrison government is deeply committed to protecting the World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef, and we fully recognise that the Great Barrier Reef is facing significant pressures from climate change and from other impacts. 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, working with tourism operators, working with traditional owners and working with local communities up and down the reef coast to protect the reef and to support them with a $3 billion joint investment. This government has been stunned by the backflip on previous assurances by UN officials that the reef would not face such a recommendation prior to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee hosted by China this July.