REEF REGULATION CONSULTATION CONTINUES INTO 2009

Sustainability and Climate Change Minister, Andrew McNamara, today announced a Mackay Reef Forum on February 15 2009, to discuss regulatory options to secure the health of the Great Barrier Reef.

Mr McNamara said Primary Industries and Fisheries Minister, Tim Mulherin, asked him to host a meeting in Mackay, to hear from people in that area.

This Sunday (Dec 14) Mr McNamara will be addressing growers and graziers in Proserpine from 11am-1pm at the town’s Ex-Services Club.

At that meeting, as he has done in Ingham (Nov 30) and Home Hill (Nov 23), Mr McNamara will seek public views on how best to regulate.

“We are taking the route of regulation because despite many years of voluntary methods to improve water quality in reef catchments, there is scientific evidence that this just isn’t enough, and we need to do more,” Mr McNamara said.

“The Queensland Government acknowledges those primary producers who are making changes to their business practices under the 2003 Reef Water Quality Protection Plan, but others need to follow their lead.”

“The Bligh Government is putting $50 million on the table for the purpose of regulation.”

“I want to hear from people how best to spend that $50 million over the next five years to protect the Reef and to ensure agricultural businesses continue to grow and prosper.”

“The regulation approach the government is proposing is meant to complement the voluntary work that is already in place.”

Minister McNamara is also talking to industry and non-industry organisations and chaired the first meeting (Dec 4) of a new Reef Steering Committee he established.

Represented at the meeting: Primary Industries Minister Tim Mulherin, Queensland Farmers Federation (John Cherry), Growcom (Rachel McKenzie), Cane Growers (Alf Christaudo), Australian Cane Farmers Association (Ross Walker), AgForce (John Cotter), Regional Groups Collective NRM (Mike Berwick), QCC (Toby Hutcheon), QTC (Daniel Gschwind), WWF (Nick Heath), GBRMPA (Russell Reichelt), and LGAQ (Malcolm Petrie).

Media Inquiries: Wendy Nye 3336-8004/0439-761-416

Background:

Back in 2003, former Premier Beattie and former Prime Minister John Howard signed off on what’s called the Reef Water Quality Protection Plan (Reef Plan). That Plan states that appropriate use of the wide range of existing regulatory powers is essential to complement and support self management and co-operative partnership approaches. Five years ago, Premier Beattie foreshadowed the need for regulation if the Reef Plan didn’t result in the necessary water quality improvement through voluntary methods, alone. Many primary producers have responded to the voluntary approach of reducing agricultural run off, as evidenced by the $300M which they sought to help them upgrade their practices to protect the Reef. The Federal Government responded to this frank and open admission through its Reef Rescue - providing $200M over 5 years to 2013. In 2008, damming scientific reports indicated the voluntary approach is not halting and reversing the decline in water quality, fast enough. Premier Bligh has said she has no choice but to act to save the Great Barrier Reef which is slowly suffocating under excessive sediment and nutrient runoff.