Tough regulations needed to save Great Barrier Reef
28 Oct 2008
WWF-Australia has called for the nation's toughest farm regulations to protect the iconic Great Barrier Reef.
The call follows a recent report, Scientific consensus statement on water quality in the Great Barrier Reef, which shows toxic farm run-off is putting the Reef at grave risk.
"WWF strongly supports Premier Anna Bligh's assessment that current approaches will not deliver in time to save the Reef," said WWF Water Program Leader Mr Nick Heath.
"We don't want to be the generation of Queenslanders that sat by while the reef, 65,000 tourism jobs and a $6 billion industry slowly faded away."
Studies indicate that a 50 per cent cut in farm pollution is possible in five years.
But Mr Heath believed that State and Federal governments needed to use every means at their disposal to bring about this reduction, including targets, cash, new laws and better governance.
"If there are new laws, these must ban the highest risk practices in the highest risk areas," Mr Heath said.
While it is expected that some groups will attack any new laws, WWF-Australia said stakeholders needed to realise that they were likely to be in the industry's, as well as the reef‘s, best interest"
"Our best farmers – those who plan, measure and manage precise use of farm chemicals should not be detrimentally impacted – in fact their farsighted decisions should be vindicated, and their industry become more cost-efficient," Mr Heath said.
WWF Reef Catchments Manager Dr Piet Filet said that farming methods that degraded wetlands and riverbank rainforests and which cleared and over-grazed erosive lands should be consigned to the past.
"We can no longer persist with a she'll-be-right attitude in regards to our rivers and the Great Barrier Reef," Dr Filet said.
"The Federal Government is investing $200m to help farmer's change practice and there has never been a better time for Queensland's rural industries to revolutionise their practices and increase the resilience of the Great Barrier Reef.
Simply reducing farm pollution will make the reef far stronger in its fight to survive climate change.
Dr Filet said that at least 90 per cent of chemical pollution was caused by out-dated, wasteful farm practices that placed as many as 700 reefs at risk.
"A number of forward thinking rural leaders- such as Canegrowers, Queensland Farmers Federation and AgForce - have recognized this and are already been working together to provide solutions to promote the reef's and industry's long term survival."
"These captains of our rural industries have recognized that saving the reef is not just about preserving our environment but helps maintain a powerful economic buffer for Queensland long into the future," Dr Filet said.
For more information
Alvin Stone, WWF-Australia Press Office. Phone: (02) 8202 1259 or mobile 0410 221 068
