- Liberal and Labor candidates acknowledge human-induced climate change is harming the Reef at Leichhardt community forum
- The Great Barrier Reef is suffering from its sixth mass bleaching event in the last nine years
- The next Australian Government must rapidly cut climate pollution, commit to no new fossil fuel approvals.
The Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) welcomes statements from political candidates on the clear impacts of human-caused climate change on the Great Barrier Reef, after the Reef Authority yesterday confirmed a sixth mass bleaching event in just nine years.
The Labor and Liberal candidates for the marginal seat of Leichhardt both publicly acknowledged that climate change is real, human-induced, and already harming the Reef at the Advance Cairns and Tourism Tropical North Queensland ‘Candidates on the Couch’ forum yesterday.
At the public forum, Leichhardt LNP candidate Jeremy Neale said: “I personally believe that the climate is changing, it would be silly not to believe in that.” When asked whether humans are responsible, he added: “Humans are definitely playing a part in that, yes.”
Also at the public forum, Labor candidate Matt Smith said: “Climate Change is a direct result of human intervention. This is not a disputable fact anymore. And I’m sorry if that upsets people but this is where we are. The Reef as we know needs two things moving forward. The first is real action on climate change. This is why net zero is so important. This is why the targets are so important.”
Tanya Murphy, AMCS Great Barrier Reef Campaigner, said:
“The science is unequivocal: climate change, driven by burning fossil fuels, is causing more frequent and severe marine heatwaves that are bleaching our Reef.
“With the Reef now bleaching for the sixth time in nine years, all candidates must listen to their constituents in critical electorates like Leichhardt, where the economy depends on a healthy Reef and local candidates from both major parties recognise the real and present threat of climate change.
“Protecting the Reef should be a bipartisan priority – in Canberra and in Leichhardt. Monitoring the Reef is essential but it cannot be where our response ends. Australia must rapidly slash climate pollution and stop new fossil fuel approvals.”
AMCS is calling for the Australian and Queensland governments to adopt reef-safe climate policies, including cutting climate pollution by 90% by 2035, ending approvals for new coal and gas projects, and establishing a Reef emergency response plan to protect coral ecosystems under increasing pressure from warming oceans, floods and pollution.