PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The Queensland government at the end of last week welcomed the World Heritage Committee’s recommendation to not list the Great Barrier Reef as “in danger”.
Minister for the Great Barrier Reef, Dr Steven Miles, said the draft decision was a vote of confidence in the measures introduced by the newly elected government and the actions it was taking to tackle the committee’s concerns about the reef.
“This is great news and an overwhelming endorsement of our efforts and new approach to reef protection,” Miles said.
The new Queensland government would introduce legislation in the next sitting of Parliament that would ban the dumping of port-related capital dredge spoil in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, and has also vowed to clean up water running into the reef.
“We have set ambitious targets of reducing nitrogen runoff by up to 80% and sediment runoff by up to 50% in key catchment areas.”
“I truly believe the actions being taken by the state and commonwealth governments will significantly improve the health of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area and ensure its sustainability for future generations,” Miles said.
Deputy Premier Jackie Trad said the Queensland government produced a strong suite of policies during the election to protect the reef and to stop it from being listed as “in danger”.
“This was a key election promise and that is why we committed A$100-million over five years towards water quality initiatives to help achieve these targets.”
The Queensland Resources Council (QRC) has also welcomed the news, saying any decision to list the Great Barrier Reef as “in danger” would have been a “travesty in light of the undisputed recognition that the Great Barrier Reef is the best managed reef system in the world and the fact that Australia’s excellent management of the reef has been lifted to an even higher level through the Reef 2050 long-term sustainability plan”.