Great Barrier Reef to get $60m rescue package from government

Malcolm Turnbull has announced a $60m rescue package for the Great Barrier Reef which includes research on developing “resilient” coral, and paying farmers to pollute less.

Australia's Great Barrier Reef - one of the world's wonders.

The package, to be spent over 18 months, will also include an increased number of reef officers and vessels targeting crown of thorns starfish outbreaks.

More than half the package, $36.6m, will be spent on “supporting farmers stopping runoff off their properties” in order to improve water quality, the prime minister said.

Turnbull said there was a “very strong link” between water pollution and crown of thorns starfish outbreaks.

Read Helen Davison’s story from The Guardian - “Great Barrier Reef to get $60m rescue package from government.”

(The rhetoric and money will convince many that the Turnbull Government is serious about saving/protecting the Great Barrier Reef, but it is simply more smoke and mirrors - warming oceans brought on by climate change is the root problem and despite Mr Turnbull’s declarations, today’s announcement does nought to save the reef, one of the world’s wonders, from the ravages of a disturbed climate system - Robert McLean)

Climate and Health Alliance needs our support

Most individuals, groups and organizations alerting the world to the dangers of climate change do so with limited resources.

The “business as usual” brigade is, by comparison well equipped and equally well resourced and beyond that, importantly, seemingly broadly socially accepted.

The success of corporations, to which most of us contribute in one way or another, can be attributed to the fact that they are usually financially sound and so have regular full-time workers whose prime role is to ensure they maintain a socially acceptable profile and so continue uninhibited to pollute our atmosphere.

Those individuals, groups and organizations attempting to change the status quo are not normally in the same position.

The Climate and Health Alliance is one of those groups in need of broader and deeper public support.

The argument explaining the group’s position and needs is outlined here: “Healthy Climate Appeal".