Nita Green (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

A defining moment for the Great Barrier Reef occurred almost a century ago. In 1975, the Gough Whitlam Labor government made the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act, which was established to protect the Great Barrier Reef for many years to come. This legislation gave it special protection against oil and gas drilling, the biggest threat to its survival at the time.

I stand here today, on another day, with another defining moment for our Great Barrier Reef. This week historic legislation reaches this is place to enshrine the 43 per cent emissions target in legislation, a week when we can finally see serious climate action getting underway. Almost like half a century ago, Labor is again on the right side of history when it comes to protecting the Great Barrier Reef from climate change. Today, the Great Barrier Reef's biggest threat is climate change, and it will take a Labor government to fight for the future of this magnificent natural asset.

Unfortunately, precious time has been wasted fighting the climate wars of the last decade, and it has cost us dearly. No-one from this side will ever forget or forgive the former government for putting the reef and the jobs that rely on the Great Barrier Reef at risk at every step of the way. No-one will forget that they vetoed renewable energy projects because it was against their energy policy, projects that would have created jobs. No-one will forget that they actively supported repealing water quality legislation. They refused to commit to an emissions reduction target, and, again, today, they refused to commit to the legislation to reduce these emissions. And they hid power price increases until after the election.

The Labor government's Powering Australia plan will reduce emissions, reduce power prices, create jobs in renewable energy, and it will protect the reef and protect our future for many generations to come.