Great Barrier Reef to receive $5 million in federal funding as part of 2024 budget
An Australian scientist claims that the Great Barrier Reef saw ‘record amounts’ of coral from 2022-23, but the government remains adamant that the reef still needs protection.
Australian geophysicist Peter Ridd argues that the additional $5 million (US$3.3 million) allocated to the Great Barrier Reef in the recent budget should be directed towards addressing “genuine environmental issues.”
This funding was included in Labor’s 2024 federal budget, released on May 14th.
According to a statement by the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, the reef endured its “worst summer” on record due to cyclones, severe flooding, starfish outbreaks, and mass bleaching.
The allocated funds will assist the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority in collaborating with tourism operators to monitor, protect, and conserve the reef.
Despite the foundation’s claims of extensive bleaching, Mr. Ridd believes that the reef’s condition has been exaggerated, stating that the reef actually saw a significant increase in coral compared to previous years affected by catastrophic events. He emphasized that the reef has shown resilience, with certain coral varieties rebounding even after bleaching events.
Furthermore, Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek recently announced a $17.48 million investment in local council projects to safeguard the reef and support the 64,000 associated jobs.
However, Mr. Ridd insists that the reef is thriving and questions the need for additional funding, estimating that approximately $400 million is spent annually on unnecessary preservation efforts.
He suggests utilizing these resources to critically evaluate claims of reef degradation and to launch a positive publicity campaign highlighting the reef’s overall health. Additionally, Mr. Ridd proposes the establishment of an official scientific ‘red-team’ to challenge prevailing narratives within Great Barrier Reef research institutions.
The 2022-23 budget included a $1 billion funding package over nine years to sustain the reef, with the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment, and Water emphasizing its commitment to record funding of $1.2 billion towards the Great Barrier Reef until 2030.
