Senator Nita Green: Really big news for Far North Queensland and the rest of Queensland. Over the weekend we were very pleased to see that UNESCO has released a draft decision to not list the Reef as in danger. The Australian Government welcomes this decision. We've been working very hard over the last four years since we came to government to really make sure that we're investing in the protection and the management of the Reef. This UNESCO decision recognises all of that hard work that the Australian and Queensland governments have been doing with our partners to protect and manage the Reef. Now, UNESCO has an important role. They consider the reports that we give them and make a decision about how the reef is being managed, and what they've decided in this decision is that they are not going to list the reef as in danger, and they are going to ask us to come back in a couple of years with a progress report and then a full state of conservation report for consideration in 2030. That is a big step forward for the Australian government, and we are very proud of the work that we've put in. We know that this is an important process that we undergo that we've committed ourselves to. But really, at the end of the day, nobody knows the Reef better than the tourism operators that work here in far north Queensland and around Queensland, particularly in regional Queensland, and nobody knows the Reef better than them and they've been working hard. So this is an important day to recognise all of the work that our partners put in to protecting the Reef, our tourism operators, our traditional owners, the natural resource management groups who are out there improving water quality and making sure that we can protect the Reef not just now, but for generations to come. Gareth, do you want to say a few words?
Gareth Phillips, CEO of Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators: Gareth Phillips, CEO of Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators. The release of the draft decision from UNESCO over this weekend was welcomed by the tourism industry. Like Senator Green was saying, it recognises the collective work that has been done throughout the Great Barrier Reef. And as the representative of the Reef tourism operators who are out there every day, who are intimately linked with it. They see it every day knowing the work that they've been doing and showing those the amazing Great Barrier Reef to not only Australia but the world. This decision, this draft decision recognises that that work that's being done. The Reef is still a beautiful, vibrant place. But this also recognises the amount of work we've got to do to protect it moving forward. So the draft decision is a welcomed decision, and we look forward to what the outcome is in the meeting in a number of weeks time. But all I can say is the marine tourism industry is committed to doing what they can for best practices on the Great Barrier Reef and showcasing that to the world. Keeping people connected with the Reef is one of the strongest things we can do to protect it. So if you want to see the Reef, come and visit it. It's a fantastic time of year coming into our winter season and you can see the Reef in its absolute magnificent glory. Thank you.
Journalist: Just for you, beyond just the recognition of conservation efforts. What else does this award mean? Like, is it a good thing for business that you are going to, you know, not want to come if it's listed 'in danger'?
Phillips: Being part of the World Heritage listed properties is a great honour for the Great Barrier Reef and being operators that operate in a World heritage space, that means it's really important to maintain that. We do see, when there's negative media about the Great Barrier Reef, that's just focus on the Great Barrier Reef, not all coral reefs. That does actually lead to cancellations. Coral reefs globally are all navigating climate change, including the Great Barrier Reef. So sensationalised headlines about just the Great Barrier Reef does actually undermine all those staff that we employ and the work we do through conservation and showcasing it. So this draft decision is really welcome, because it's recognising that the Reef is still resilient and that there is still value in coming to see it. And in fact, I'd add to it, coming to visit the Great Barrier is one of the strongest conservation actions you can take to protect it. Because you support the infrastructure, you support the jobs, you support the knowledge. We don't only take tourists out, we take scientists out. We take traditional owners out. We take government officials to actually see it, to make decisions. And not only that, we spend hundreds, if not tens of thousands of hours a year reporting and monitoring the Reef that feeds into the decision making that protects the Great Barrier Reef. And we can only do that with our visitors, on our boats, on our island resorts and coming to see it. So this decision does go a long way in supporting the industry and the jobs behind it.
Journalist: So UNESCO is recommending a review in 2028. Is this concerning this particularly for the tourism industry looking long term into the future?
Phillips: No, I think reviewing the World Heritage Properties is a smart, pragmatic, pragmatic step forward. And the fact that they're now doing it every two years is the recognition of what the collective work between the federal government, state government and all the stakeholders like us are doing to protect it. And we welcome those opportunities to showcase what we're doing. We are in the belief we are the world's best managed Reef. Can we do more? Yes, but there is a lot more happening. The Reef 2050 is under review at the moment. We've just had the water quality strategy updated. There's a lot of work happening that often doesn't get seen by the public, and having these reviews every couple of years is a powerful opportunity for us to showcase that and work collaboratively with the World Heritage Committee, UNESCO and IUCN. We want to actually work as a global community and an Australian community to protect it.
Green: So UNESCO has asked us to provide a progress report in 2028, based on the work that's being done on the water quality management. That's something that the Queensland Government is responsible for, and they'll provide that report in 2028. We won't have to provide a state of conservation report until 2029 for consideration in 2030. So what that means is that the full listing of the Reef won't be considered for many years. And that's really a recognition that we've implemented a range of reforms, invested money in the programs that really matter, and UNESCO wants to see how the implementation goes. It is obviously the role of the World Heritage Committee to consider these properties from time to time. And we're very proud to be part of the World Heritage System. We've worked really hard to strengthen it, to make sure that we understand how climate change is affecting World Heritage properties. But what we've got through this decision is a recognition that all the work that we've put into the Reef is working, but there's always more work to do.
Journalist: Speaking of more work to do, is there any ideas we are hearing in criticism and maybe some concern over, you know, emission targets and fossil fuels and things like that? Is that something that, I mean, your government is trying to look at and looking into the future?
Green: Yeah. Look, I mean, we understand that climate change will continue to be a risk to the Reef's resilience. That's why a lot of the work that we're doing, and a lot of the work recognised in the decision, is about building the Reef's resilience to climate change, making sure that as the weather does change, that the Reef can be as resilient as possible. One of the ways that we're doing that is improving water quality that runs off into the Reef. We know that the better the water quality is, the more resilient the Reef will be. We're also taking action on gillnets and overfishing to make sure that the Reef can be as resilient as possible to fish stocks and coral harvesting. This is really important because we know that as that the climate is changing and that climate change will continue to be a risk to the Reef. And that's why we're putting all of that work in. At the same time, our government is taking action on climate change. We've legislated our emissions reductions targets, and we'll continue to work as a partner to the Paris Agreement. We understand the importance of taking action on climate change, not just to lower energy bills, but to protect things like the Reef and all of the jobs that rely on it. I know that our government is committed to working on both fronts, building the Reef's resilience and taking action on climate change at the same time. And we'll be really proud to report back to UNESCO about the progress we're making.
Journalist: So it's a draft decision that's going to be discussed in July. I believe in South Korea. What is the process behind that? Is that something the government's involved in, or is it kind of the results from that is what then moves forward?
Green: Yeah, it's a great question. And it's a process where we get a draft decision. And then ultimately, World Heritage Committee members will decide on the ultimate decision. Now, we know that all the work that we've put in to providing a state of conservation report with full technical and scientific information will make sure that the draft decision leads to a final decision. We're really hopeful that the World Heritage Committee members will ensure that the draft decision stays the same, but ultimately, we'll find out in a couple of weeks if that is the case. We've given them no reason to change the decision. And as we've said, Australia has welcomed the decision. We won't be seeking to change it. What we will be seeking to do is to make sure that every single World Heritage Committee member understands that Australia is committed to protecting the Reef, and nobody wants to protect the Reef more than Australia.
Journalist: Just while we've got you, there were reports last week about the Great Barrier Reef Authority and some allegations of racism and systemic sexism in the company, I guess, can you comment on that?
Green: I can't make any comments about allegations I have no knowledge of. What I would say more broadly is that the Reef Authority is an independent agency of government. They have a board that manages their administration, and it's for the board to answer any questions if there's concerns about the culture in the department. What I would say is I've had extensive experience working with this agency, and I've seen the good work that they've done on the ground. I can't comment on particular allegations, but I'm sure that they will be able to respond as appropriate.