Press release – 29 May, 2016Brisbane, May 30 2016 – Voters should remember how upset they feel about the Great Barrier Reef bleaching and significant amounts of coral dying this year when they cast their ballots at the federal election, and vote to protect the Reef, Greenpeace Australia Pacific said today.Scientists from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies today announced a massive 35 percent of the coral bleached in the northern and central northern and central Great Barrier Reef has died from this year’s unprecedented global coral bleaching.
“This is the devastating price we’re paying for Australia’s addiction to coal mining. This coral will be lost forever and our Reef will be changed forever,” said Greenpeace reef campaigner Shani Tager.
“We’re seeing climate change devastate our reef while the Government is actively trying to re-write history and pretend that climate change isn’t having an impact.
“This is the election that can make or break the reef’s future, depending on how the next government tackles climate change.
“The Great Barrier Reef is one of the seven natural wonders of the world, home to thousands of animals and incredible biodiversity. Our governments need to stop propping up the fossil fuel industry and start supporting renewable energy solutions.
Labor today announced $500 million in reef water quality funding over five years compared to the Liberal party’s $123 million over the same time frame.
“The money promised for the reef today by Labor and in the budget by the Liberals is a drop in the ocean compared to the $7.7 billion they’re handing out to the fossil fuel industry each year. Both Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten need to get serious about phasing out the coal industry and addressing climate change to stop this sort of devastation happening again.
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Poll after poll
shows Australians think the politicians should do more about climate change, yet our leaders have side-stepped this responsibility. Politicians are twiddling their thumbs while our World Heritage-listed reef is fighting for survival,” said Ms Tager.
Greenpeace is calling on Australians to vote for a clean energy future in the federal election, which includes a transition away coal and other fossil fuels – the primary sources of greenhouse gases.