Australia invests $65m for environmental protection of Great Barrier Reef

January 23, 2018
Turtle swims in Australia's Great Barrier Reef

The Queensland government is calling on Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to be more consultative in his approach to protecting the Great Barrier Reef.

Mr Turnbull announced a multi-million-dollar plan to protect the Great Barrier Reef against coral-eating crown-of-thorns starfish and farm run-off yesterday.

The AU$60m (NZ$65m) scheme will include funding farmers to reduce sediment run-off and research over the next 18 months.

Queensland Environment Minister Leeanne Enoch welcomed the funding, but said it was just a starting point.

Ms Enoch said the federal government needed to acknowledge climate change as a major threat to the reef, and back the Queensland government's target of 50 per cent renewable energy by 2030.

The federal announcement was also met with criticism from environment groups who slammed Mr Turnbull for "tinkering around the edges" and not doing enough to reduce harmful emissions.

The state government has earmarked $256m (NZ$280m) over the next five years to improve reef water quality.

SHARE ME

More Stories