AUSTRALIA IS LEFT BEHIND ON OCEAN PROTECTION

The announcement made by New Caledonia to designate 200,000-400,000 square kilometres of water in the Coral Sea Natural Park as highly protected should be congratulated. 

The Coral Sea is a pristine area, a turtle superhighway and home to species seen nowhere else in the world. 

New Caledonia has recognised the importance of the Coral Sea by protecting more areas in highly protected zones in the Coral Sea Natural Park. 

While the rest of the world has increased ocean protection, Australia has made the biggest cuts in history. 

The Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison Government has cut over 50 per cent of the high protection zones in the Coral Sea. The more pristine the area, the more savage the cut. The Coral Sea has gone from being the Jewel in the Crown of the Commonwealth Marine Parks, protecting the eastern side of the Great Barrier Reef to now being a haven for longlining and trawling.

This decision by the Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison Government removes more area from conservation than any decision from any government in any country ever. 

Australia is being left behind while the rest of the world is taking action. Just last year Mexico announced the creation of a marine national park in the Revillagigedo Archipelago – at 150,000 square kilometres it is the largest ocean reserve in North America.

Mexico’s ocean reserve added to global efforts such as the Ross Sea reserve in Antarctica, the Chilean Government’s ocean reserve near the Easter Islands and reserves of Niue and the Cook Islands.  

It’s time for Australia to reverse its embarrassing and devastating decision to cut marine national parks. 

Labor has committed to putting marine protections back in place. We won’t stand by and watch the Government remove ocean protection.