More than $65 million will be allocated to catchment and waterway projects, research and programs along Queensland's coastline in an effort to address water pollution in the Great Barrier Reef, the Palaszczuk Government has announced.
Visiting Yarrabah near Cairns today, Environment and Great Barrier Reef Minister Meaghan Scanlon said the funding would bolster existing efforts being made to tackle harmful sediment run-off from a number of coastal catchments.
"The two biggest threats to the reef are water pollution and climate change," Minister Scanlon said.
"The aim of this funding is to focus on gullies and streambanks along our coastline, which generate around 77 per cent of the fine sediment run-off that ends up in the reef.
"There are already some huge success stories from these type projects, like in the Burdekin where they've been able reduce run-off by 92 per cent at Strathalbyn Station by remediating 17 hectares of gullies.
"We've got $2 billion through our Renewable Energy Fund and 40 renewable projects underway to address the threat of climate change on the reef, and this funding really sharpens the focus on that second biggest threat.
Minister Scanlon said the $65.6 million allocation was part of a greater $270 million package locked in by the Palaszczuk Government in its last budget, and would additionally create hundreds of jobs in regional parts of Queensland and protect the state's reef-based jobs and industry.
"The Great Barrier Reef is critical to Queensland's environmental values as well as the state's economy, generating some $6 billion economic activity and supporting upwards of 60,000 jobs.
"Not only do we need to show the world that we're doing everything we can to protect the reef, we need to protect the dozens of communities in Queensland that rely on reef tourism and continue to deliver our economic recovery plan from COVID-19.
"Some of this funding will go towards expanding the Palaszczuk Government's catchment restoration Reef Assist Program into new areas, creating another 225 jobs.
A range of organisations will be eligible for the $65 million funding package including local governments, regional Natural Resource Management Groups, First Nations entities, Landcare groups, Indigenous Land and Sea Ranger groups, conservation organisations and non-government organisations.
"I want to see as many groups put their hand up to help tackle water pollution. Here in Yarrabah, they've been able to establish a ranger program, resulting in seven trainee rangers, as well as part-time and fulltime employment opportunities for 16 people.
"The partnership between the Wet Tropics Management Authority and community has seen 22 hectares of weeds removed, 266 hectares of burning programs to reduce the risk of bush fires and a 230 kilogram reduction in marine debris entering the Great Barrier Reef.
Minister Scanlon said Queenslanders expected governments to do all they can for the reef.
"It was only because the Palaszczuk Government was elected and took meaningful action that the reef was kept off the in-danger list in 2015.
"Since then, we've committed over a billion dollars to directly support the reef – not including our actions to address climate change."
