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

My question is to Senator Hume representing the environment minister. Minister, Australia has just successfully lobbied a UNESCO World Heritage Committee to vote against the scientific advice provided by the IUCN that the Great Barrier Reef should be listed as in danger. A report from Spanish media overnight quoted Spain's UNESCO ambassador as admitting to striking a deal with Australia, that they would support Australia's amendments to have the reef not listed as in danger if Australia backed its attempt to have two Spanish properties added to the UNESCO World Heritage List despite the committee recommending against this. We have also heard that Australia co-sponsored an amendment to list a site in Saudi Arabia despite the committee also recommending against this. Minister, can you confirm these reports and detail what other deals were done in the name of your government's political agenda?

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

I thank Senator Whish-Wilson for his question and for his enduring care of the Great Barrier Reef, which is shared with that of the Morrison government. The Morrison government in fact is deeply committed to protecting the World Heritage Great Barrier Reef. The tourism industry, traditional owners and reef communities rely on the Morrison government's commitment to the reef, and we will not let them down.

Our world's best management of the reef is acknowledged by many, including the World Heritage Committee, who said in this year's decision on the reef that it commends the state party, that being Australia, for the strong and continued efforts to create conditions for the implementation the reef 2050 long-term sustainability plan.

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

Order, Senator Hume! I have 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: did the government do any deals to win the UNESCO vote?

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

Senator Whish-Wilson, I appreciate the question had a very lengthy preamble. The minister was addressing the body that made the decision you are questioning about, so I believe the minister is directly relevant if she's talking about the decision made, because she's entitled to be directly relevant to all or part of a question, especially when it lengthy.

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

Discussions between the members of the committee will always remain private, so we make no apologies for defending Australia's reputation as the best marine park managers in the world. The minister for the environment has highlighted before that climate change is the most serious long-term threat to the health of coral reefs worldwide, and that includes the Great Barrier Reef. It also threatens 82 other World Heritage sites around the world. Rainforests, fjord-lands, glaciers—none would be better off if UNESCO succeeded in its bid to single out Australia for what is, we all agree, a global problem. That's why the World Heritage Committee unanimously struck out this year's attempt to use Australia only for its global call to action.

With only 1.3 per cent of global emissions, Australia cannot fix this problem alone. The world must do more to reduce emissions and the World Heritage Committee must find a path towards collective action and not singular punishment. The Morrison government's concern was that UNESCO sought an immediate in-danger listing without appropriate consultation, without a site visit and without all the latest information. It's clear that this process concerned not only Australia but other nations as well. So we welcome the support of an overwhelming majority of the nations at the 44th session of the World Heritage Committee. (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

Minister, UNESCO didn't strike this out; it recommitted the vote to May 2022. Your government is now being watched closely by the world. There is specific language in the recent UNESCO ruling that requires Australia to demonstrate an acceleration on key points of the Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan, including by lowering emissions that are killing the reef, beyond current plans. What is your plan for accelerating emissions reduction, and how is giving money to new fossil fuel projects, including the gas-led recovery, going to accelerate emissions reductions?

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

Nineteen of the 21 members of the World Heritage Committee voted in support of Australia's position. The World Heritage Committee's endorsement of Australia's position will give reef managers, marine scientists and land managers the chance to demonstrate the success of the outstanding work that is taking place across the reef. We will invite representatives of UNESCO and the IUCN to visit the reef and see firsthand the work that we are doing to build the reef's resilience, and we will submit a State Party Report to the World Heritage Centre by 1 February 2022. We will continue to work with UNESCO and the World Heritage Committee to protect the long-term future of the reef. We're working with the Queensland government to ensure that the strategies under the reef 2050 plan are delivering the best possible outcomes for the reef. The Australian and Queensland governments are 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.

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

Senator Whish-Wilson, a final supplementary question?

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

The world's best science provided by the IUCN and UNESCO tells us we all face a future where one of the world's most iconic and critical natural wonders may die in our lifetime, primarily from the burning of fossil fuels and a lack of global ambition on climate change. Minister, can you put your hand on your heart in the Senate today and say you are happy that your government is doing everything possible to reduce emissions and protect the Barrier Reef for future generations?

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

Senator Whish-Wilson, thank you very much for your question. Hand on heart, Australia is a good citizen in the world heritage system. We have implemented all previous recommendations. But what on earth could we possibly implement on our own as a corrective measure to address global warming? We are delivering on all of our outcomes that we have committed to in the reef 2050 plan. That includes controlling outbreaks of the crown-of-thorn starfish, which eats coral; improving water quality; doubling the on-ground joint field management program; addressing plastic pollution; rehabilitating island, coastal and reef habitats; and, as reported in the 2019 Reef Water Quality Report Card, we are over halfway to the fine-sediment target and almost halfway to the dissolved inorganic nitrogen target. I reiterate that the Morrison government is deeply committed to protecting the world heritage listed Great Barrier Reef.

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order. The wearing of masks makes it difficult to call senators to order because I can't see their mouths move, particularly at the rear of the chamber. I can recognise some voices at the front of the chamber.