E&OE….
Topics: Great Barrier Reef, Tasmanian forests, marriage equality
FRANCES BELL:
The Environment Minister Greg Hunt has also been at that World Heritage meeting in Germany and he joins us now. Minister, thanks very much for being with us. What does this decision mean for the future management and for the Reef?
GREG HUNT:
Good morning, Frances. Look this is a tremendous decision and in fact we inherited a Reef that was on the watch list and on track to being listed ‘in danger’ from the previous government and on our watch the global umpire has declared unanimously that not only is the Reef not in danger but that it should be taken off the watch list, it's not on anybody's watch list.
What we’ve got now is unanimous and overwhelming support for the Reef, support for what Australia's doing and this has been one of the great environmental outcomes for Australia where the practical, physical work to improve water quality has been recognised and praised and the conference has said that Australia is a role model to the world. It's really an astonishing and outstanding outcome for Australia and what it means is that the physical work is now being held up to the rest of the world for dealing with complex challenges facing the great coral reefs of the globe.
FRANCES BELL:
But at least one delegate did say that the outlook for the Reef remains poor. And the Queensland and Federal Governments will have to report back to the committee over the next few years. So aren't both governments effectively on probation?
GREG HUNT:
No, not at all. This is precisely the opposite. I know that a couple of the groups that had been campaigning with a spectacular lack of success for an ‘in danger’ listing say that, but the world's umpire has just said precisely the opposite. What they have said is an outstanding achievement, a role model for the world, they have gone further than that and returned us to the normal five-year reporting cycle, so we will come back in 2020 as each country does, as part of their cycle with more than 1,000 different properties on the World Heritage Convention List.
But most significantly we've been asked to help other countries. I know from my discussions with the German Minister, Maria Bohmer, with other countries, they've said can we work with other nations that have coral reefs, with challenges whether it's in relation to water quality or fishing or general management, what they have said is Australia is now the model, the standard for the globe and I think Australians should be really proud of where we now stand in the world and what we’ve done.
FRANCES BELL:
The committee does say also that those plans now need to be put into action. What further can the Queensland and Federal Governments do to protect the Reef and could that include any changes to policies on port expansions or coal expansions in the area?
GREG HUNT:
Well we've actually made dramatic changes already. We inherited – I inherited five massive dredge disposal projects from the previous Labor government for disposal in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park area. All five of those have been terminated. There will be no disposal in the Marine Park. We have recently put into law a permanent ban, a ban that in my view will never be rescinded that will prevent any future capital dredge material being disposed of within the Marine Park and that is really been cited by countries as a profound policy change already.
The steps going forward are to implement the Reef 2050 Plan and that’s about reducing sediment and nitrogen and pesticide. Already we have seen dramatic reductions but we can and will go further by working with farmers and communities by investing in money to help reduce that run-off, as well as directly targeting the Crown of Thorns starfish.
FRANCES BELL:
Minister, there was also an expectation that the management of Tasmanian forests would come in for criticism by the committee. Has there been any development on that?
GREG HUNT:
No, there was a motion that was passed without comment. It had the support of the Australian and Tasmanian governments. The Tasmanian Government had invited a monitoring mission from UNESCO from the international body to come and work with them jointly on both the Indigenous cultural heritage of the Tasmanian wilderness area but also of course the majestic natural wilderness.
I have had a lot of meetings on that with a senior representative from Tasmania and many of the international community, as well as non-government organisations, and I think we have made immense progress here. So it's been a really outstanding set of outcomes for Australia and for Australia to be held up before the world and by the world as a role model I think is a good day for Australia's environmental reputation.
FRANCES BELL:
Now, on the issue of same-sex marriage, there has been confirmation that there will be an attempt in August to bring on a private member's bill which has cross-party support as well as the support of Independents. Your view on that?
GREG HUNT:
Look, I have to apologise because I've literally been focusing 18, 20 hours a day on the Reef task whilst I have been over here. I understand there is a proposal for a bill but I am not across the detail and I think I ought in that situation to leave it for the Party Room and not pre-empt discussion and certainly I'd want to get myself across the detail first.
FRANCES BELL:
You have been named previously though, as someone in the Coalition who would support a move to change the same-sex marriage legislation. Is that the case?
GREG HUNT:
Look, historically I have worked with others to ensure that superannuation and other rights recorded to same-sex couples, so I have a long history in this space. I respectfully want to reserve judgment and comment until such time as the Party Room may or may not discuss this matter and also I think it would be wise of me to get across the detail of what's been proposed in the last 24 hours. But my history is very clear on this.
FRANCES BELL:
And the bill of course would require getting over two significant hurdles – one would be for it to be actually brought on for debate in the Parliament but then also for the Coalition Party Room to be afforded a conscience vote. What do you think the chances are of both of those?
GREG HUNT:
Look, I won't speculate precisely because it's some something that I just haven't canvassed with my colleagues.
FRANCES BELL:
And just finally, there have been some of your colleagues who have already spoken out against this move. Concetta Fierravanti-Wells and Eric Abetz – both from the Senate – describing this bill as an ambush. Do you think this has the potential to be fairly divisive for the Coalition over the next few weeks?
GREG HUNT:
I think the most important thing is for everybody to be respectful of the views of each other. At the end of the day this is about an attempt by people of good faith to bring dignity and there are people of good faith on the other side and so the main thing is to proceed with respect for each other and acceptance that sometimes there are just differences of views. But that's the democratic process at work and actually at its best.
FRANCES BELL:
Greg Hunt in Bonn in Germany, thanks very much for your time.
GREG HUNT:
Thanks, Frances.
(ENDS)