Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for the Environment, Senator Hume. The Great Barrier Reef suffered its first mass coral bleaching in 1998, the first in recorded history. Even though our best climate models at the time predicted it wasn't possible to have back-to-back mass coral bleachings, they did occur in 2016 and 2017. We had a fourth mass coral bleaching in 2019-20. The reef is believed to have lost half of its coral cover. Your own internal reports in 2019 downgraded the status of the reef from poor to very poor. Last year, UNESCO downgraded the status of the reef to critical. Minister, do you agree that the Great Barrier Reef is in danger?

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

Thank you very much, Senator, for your question. The Morrison government is deeply committed to protecting the World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef. Benchmarked against global standards, Australia's management of the reef is recognised as a leading example and is considered by many to be the gold standard for large-scale marine protected area management, according to that same UNESCO report.

The centrepiece of Australia's reef-protection efforts is the Reef 2050 Plan, jointly developed with the Queensland government. The plan has been delivered, and it is achieving results. We have reduced pressures on the reef, built reef resilience and strengthened partnerships for the future. The Australian and Queensland governments are now investing more than $3 billion, from 2014-15 to 2023-24, to implement the Reef 2050 Plan. More than $2 billion of this is from the Australian government, which is an unprecedented investment. They are big numbers, but what does that mean at the ground level? It means that the custodian of Lady Elliot Island, Peter Gash, can continue 20 years of work transforming a former island mine—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Whish-Wilson on a point of order?

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A point of order on relevance. I stated indisputable facts, and I asked the minister if she believed, personally, that the reef was in danger. She hasn't come anywhere near answering. That was the same response she gave to Senators Waters earlier this week.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Whish-Wilson, you will resume your seat. Senators will note that in the previous series of questions I reminded senators that, when questions are very strictly worded, the test of direct relevance can easily be strictly applied. This question contained a preamble, and I believe the minister was being directly relevant by stating facts that are relevant to assertions you made in your preamble, Senator Whish-Wilson. You've reminded the minister of the last part of your question, but she is free to continue being directly relevant to parts of the question as well. Senator Hume.

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

I will remind Senator Whish-Wilson that my first sentence was, in fact, that the Morrison government is deeply committed to protecting the World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef and that we fully recognise that the Great Barrier Reef is indeed facing serious pressures from climate change and other impacts. That is why we are delivering the 2050 plan, which is jointly developed with the Queensland government. The big numbers in that plan mean that the custodian of Lady Elliot Island, Peter Gash, can continue 20 years of work transforming a former island mine site into a world-famous ecological sanctuary. It also means the continued conservation work with sea turtles at Mon Repos and Raine Island. It means that five control vessels are continuing to protect reef resilience by culling coral-eating crown-of-thorns starfish on critical reefs in the marine park. And it means that world-leading— (Time expired)

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Whish-Wilson, a supplementary question?

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

UNESCO is an authoritative, science led, evidence based body, which is based on an evidence process—

Government Senators:

Government senators interjecting—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order!

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I don't think the death of a—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Please resume your seat, Senator Whish-Wilson.

Government senators interjecting—

Order! That's it. Order! Seriously, I am asking people—please resume your seat, Senator Whish-Wilson. I was attempting to give you the silence you deserve to ask your question, and I was attempting to call those on my right to order. Heckling during questions is utterly disorderly.

Senator Whish-Wilson interjecting—

The PRESIDENT: Order, Senator Whish-Wilson, please! I'm going to ask for the clock to be reset and Senator Whish-Wilson to commence his question. He has every right to be heard in silence.

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, do you agree with UNESCO's recommendation to the World Heritage Committee to downgrade the status of the Great Barrier Reef to World Heritage in danger?

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

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Whish-Wilson, a final supplementary question?

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Dr Fanny Douvere, the head of UNESCO's World Heritage Marine Program, has completely rebutted the claim that there was any backflip. Minister, what are you going to do about the Great Barrier Reef? As Dr Douvere suggested, are you going to stand together with the international community, rather than fight this, and address the issue at hand, which is that without climate action there is no future for the Great Barrier Reef?

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

I will reiterate exactly what we are doing about the Great Barrier Reef, because the Morrison government, I reiterate again, is deeply committed to protecting the reef. That is why the Australian and Queensland governments are now investing more than $3 billion from 2014-15 to 2023-24 to implement the Reef 2050 Plan. More than $2 billion of this is from the Australian government, which is an unprecedented investment.

Australia's practical action on emissions reduction goes hand in hand with our practical action on reef protection and climate adaptation. This includes efforts to improve the health of the reef and its resilience to climate change by reducing local and regional pressures and leading the way in reef adaptation science through measures like $150 million for the Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program. That's a word-leading project to find innovative ways for the coral reef to adapt to the impacts of climate change, an issue that I know is so dear to your heart, Senator Whish-Wilson.