2021-07-12
The Greens have slammed the Morrison Government for the desperate measures it has taken to avoid UNESCO listing the Great Barrier Reef as "In Danger".
Greens spokesperson for Healthy Oceans, Peter Whish-Wilson, said the Government has put more effort into lobbying against disclosing the true state of the Great Barrier Reef than acting to fix it.
“While parts of the country are enduring strict COVID lockdowns, and it is next to impossible for many Australians to travel overseas, our so-called Environment Minister is spending hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars on an ideological crusade by flying to Europe to promote a lie and effectively lobby against climate action.
“This lobbying is symbolic of the Government’s climate denialism - which not only dismisses evidence and research in support of UNESCO’s position, but shows blatant disregard for the integrity of science itself.
“Surely this is a new low in the Government’s decade of undermining climate action.
“This Government is going to infuriating lengths to avoid the international community learning the truth about the dangerous decline of this iconic global coral ecosystem.
“While none of us want the Great Barrier Reef to be in danger from our climate crisis, it is the reality. The worst thing we can do is deny it. If we do that, there will be no action, and it will be too late.
“Declaring the Reef in danger is the greatest sign we can send that climate action is needed.
“It’s time the Morrison Government stopped passing the buck on protecting our Reef, acted on the climate crisis, phased out fossil fuels and properly funded statutory management authorities whose actual job it is to manage the Reef.”