Interview with Barbara Miller, ABC Radio National AM

BARBARA MILLER, HOST: The Federal Government has announced an additional $91 million in funding for the Great Barrier Reef. Environment and Water Minister Murray Watt says the money will help secure the future of one Australia's greatest natural assets, and the jobs that depend upon it. The announcement comes just weeks out from the release of a draft decision on the Reef's conservation status ahead of a July meeting of UNESCO's World Heritage Committee with fears it could be listed as ‘in danger’.

The Environment Minister joined me from Cairns. Murray Watt, thanks for speaking to AM. MURRAY WATT, MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER: No problem, Barbara.

Good to be with you. BARBARA MILLER: What will this package deliver on the ground? MURRAY WATT: Well, I think all Australians know that the Great Barrier Reef is an international icon.

It's home to incredible and unique species that aren't found in any other part of the world. And it attracts millions of visitors from all over the world. And of course, importantly, it's the backbone of so much of regional Queensland's economy, creating about 77,000 jobs every year.

And that's why this year's Federal Budget has committed another $92 million to protect and restore this iconic reef that's known around the world. Basically, the funding is a mixture of expanding existing programs that we've had in place for a while with the Queensland Government, including things like lifting the reef water quality, but also increasingly helping the reef adapt to climate change.

For example, by funding new techniques of coral spawning, which can help reefs recover from coral bleaching events. There's a range of other initiatives in there, but as I say, what it comes back to is making sure that we protect and restore the Great Barrier Reef for generations to come. BARBARA MILLER: So we're expecting in the next few weeks a draft decision on the Reef's conservation status.

That's ahead of a meeting in July of the World Heritage Committee. How concerned are you that the Reef could be placed on the ‘in danger’ list? MURRAY WATT: It's certainly always a concern, Barbara.

I mean, our very strong position is that listing the Great Barrier Reef as ‘in danger’ won't do anything to protect the Reef. And it certainly hasn't stopped us continuing to invest and taking action to protect the Reef. We are committed to doing that.

And a listing of that kind won't alter that, it won't help with that protection effort. What it would do is deal a very damaging blow to our tourism industry internationally. The Great Barrier Reef is one of the key reasons that international tourists come to Australia, not just to Queensland, but they might come to the Reef first and then visit other parts of the country.

If the Reef is listed as ‘in danger’, we do believe that would deter international tourists from coming to Australia, having big economic effects while not doing anything to lift the Reef's protection. And that's why we're fighting so hard to resist that ‘in danger’ listing, while of course undertaking big investments and big changes to our law to protect the Reef well into the future.

BARBARA MILLER: As you say, there has been significant investment promised through until 2030, $91 million is really a drop in the ocean. Is this announcement ahead of the draft decision more about optics? MURRAY WATT: No, well, of course, you know, the Federal Budget comes down in May every year and that's the appropriate time for us to be making these types of announcements.

It happens to be fairly close to UNESCO making that decision, but I can assure you we didn't arrange the date of the Federal Budget around that. But I think it is a good reminder to UNESCO that we remain committed to do this. It comes on the back of billions of dollars of other work that we're doing.

I do think UNESCO is impressed by the work that we're undertaking. They have said so previously and they can see that we're pulling every possible lever towards that protection. It wouldn't surprise me if they want to remain engaged in what we are doing because they have an interest in protecting this icon for the world at large.

But I'm very confident that we can persuade them that the work that we're doing is geared towards making sure that those beautiful coral, fish, turtles and other marine life that live in this spectacular place will be there for a very long time to come. BARBARA MILLER: Murray Watt, thank you for joining AM. MURRAY WATT: Thanks, Barbara.

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.