Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last week, the Australian Institute of Marine Science reported that the water temperatures in the Great Barrier Reef are the warmest that they have been in 400 years. Record-high water temperatures are causing more coral bleaching and more destruction of our marine ecosystems. Since 2016 the Great Barrier Reef has suffered five mass coral bleaching events, and there have been a total of seven in the last 26 years. In that time half the coral cover of the Great Barrier Reef has died from the climate crisis as well as from poor water quality.

These are not records that the reef can afford to keep breaking. You can't save the Great Barrier Reef by making the climate crisis worse. It's that simple. Every bit of warming above current, already alarming levels is a nail in the coffin of the reef. But, instead of taking strong climate action, the Albanese government continues to approve new coal and gas projects, making the climate crisis worse.

Since May 2022 Minister Plibersek, the environment minister, has approved 23 new coal and gas projects, and there are another 28 proposed coalmines in the pipeline of approvals. Australian fossil fuel exports rank second only to Russia for climate damage, with no plan for reduction. Labor promised to be better, and they promised to be different from the last government, but they have not stopped the flow of coal and gas being exported. We must stop the reef being treated like a highway for coal and gas. You cannot put the fire out while pouring petrol on it.

The Great Barrier Reef is one of the seven natural wonders of the world. It's an employer of approximately 60,000 people in my home state of Queensland. We must take serious action to protect what's left of it. Stop approving new coal, oil and gas!