Published Thursday, 29 January, 2009 at 12:06 PM
JOINT STATEMENT
Premier
The Honourable Anna Bligh
Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation
The Honourable Andrew McNamara
GBR – QLD TOURISM’S JOBS-GENERATOR MUST BE BETTER PROTECTED: BLIGH
Damaging pesticides restricted, poor farming better managed
DEERAL, south of CAIRNS: Visiting the Great Barrier Reef today, Premier Anna Bligh has pledged to control fertiliser and pesticide run-off to protect the Reef and Queensland’s tourism industry into the future.
“By June I will have in my hand tough new legislation squarely aimed at improving water quality on our Reef and thereby guaranteeing those tens of thousand of jobs its support,” she said after having just inspected reef damage south of Cairns..
“We must protect the Reef and its jobs and we will. I want to make sure we are doing all we can to make the Reef more resilient to climate change.
"With public consultation on Reef Protection regulations concluding in February, final details are being determined, but I can confirm that that the new laws will restrict both:
-the level and type of damaging pesticides permitted to run-off into waterways flowing to the Great Barrier Reef, and
-damaging farm practices such as over-grazing, tree clearing along creeks and excessive use of fertilisers.
The Premier also confirmed that the new arrangements would involve water monitoring to ensure compliance and penalties for breaching the new laws"
“Climate change is real and it is a threat that we all know is coming. Some temperature rise is locked in and we need to make sure we are doing all we can to help our Reef prepare for this looming threat.
“Improvements in water quality will mean that the coral reefs would be able to tolerate water temperatures up to two degrees warmer than they can now without any bleaching.
“An 80% reduction in run-off of fertiliser nitrogen would buy the Great Barrier Reef as much as 65 to 70 years before catastrophic bleaching becomes a regular event.
“I want my grandchildren to see this natural wonder, and I want to be able to say to them that we did everything we possibly we could to protect it.
“The science is clear. The Reef’s health is suffering long-term decline from soil, fertilisers and pesticides washing from the mainland.
“Scientific reports going back to 2002 have consistently warned of the real threat to the Great Barrier Reef from agricultural run-off.
“They all reach the same conclusion - that the problem is not being solved by current interventions.
“In 2003 the agricultural sector was clearly warned that if voluntary practices were not good enough or did not work fast enough, regulation would have to be considered.
“Despite the best efforts of some, change has not happened widely enough - nor fast enough.
“The time to act is now. Unless we take action now, the Reef will be dead within 40 years. We know the problem. We need to have the strength and will to put in place solutions.
“We want to better manager poor farming. Our changes will however not impact those farmers who have done the right thing.
“For too long the good work of many has been undone by the unthinking.
“My Government will spend $175 million over the next five years in management of the reef environment - including about $25 million a year on Reef water quality issues.
“Our actions will complement the Australian Government’s $200 million Reef Rescue by creating demand for grants to upgrade farming practices, while providing the necessary enforcement to ensure maximum compliance.
“My goal is to achieve healthy agricultural industries which are also compatible with a healthy Great Barrier Reef—and Reef dependent industries—in an acceptable timeframe.
“I made the announcement that my Government was moving to regulation at a Reef Summit on October 24 2008 and we need to keep pushing this hard and we will.”
Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and innovation Andrew McNamara has also held three public meetings to discuss the best way forward for regulation in Ingham, Home Hill and Proserpine. He will hold an additional public meeting in Mackay on February 15 2009.
Mr McNamara has a held a meeting with peak stakeholders in December and will hold an additional meeting on February 12 2009.
“Protecting the Great Barrier Reef is in everyone’s interests. It has a value to the community which cannot be measured simply in dollars.
“I believe that in Queensland we can all work together to prove that agriculture can be compatible with a healthy Reef valued by the entire world.
For more information on the Reef Water Quality Protection Plan and the Queensland Government programs that contribute to achieving the goal of Reef Plan, see:
Media contact: Premier’s Office 3224 4500