Mark Butler, Labor environment spokesman Credit:Getty Images But other proposals have been floated to dump dredge spoil at sea in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, according to the 2014 Outlook Report by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, including 5 million cubic metres in Cairns as part of a shipping development project, 5.7 million cubic metres as part of the Townsville port expansion, 13 million cubic metres as part of the Dudgeon Point coal facility expansion and another 12 million cubic metres at the Port of Gladstone, according to the authority. The Coalition has not legislated a ban on dumping dredge spoil in the Great Barrier Reef but proponents are being discouraged from coming forward with new proposals that would have dredge spoil dumped in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. And in October, Environment Minister Greg Hunt said those five projects, including Abbot Point, were "off the table in terms of spoil in the marine park" and that "that's absolutely the policy I set out". But Mr Butler said an outright ban on dredge spoil dumping would ease pressure on the reef, while protecting the valuable tourism sector in the region.

"This policy will not allow dredge spoil dumping in the World Heritage Area," he said. Speaking to Fairfax Media before the policy launch in Cairns on Monday, Mr Butler said he hoped the federal government would immediately join Labor in supporting the ban on a bipartisan basis. "There is $6 billion generated from tourism to the reef, 2 million visitors, 60,000 jobs, all of that is at risk if we are not able to restore the health of the reef," he said. "We think this policy means proponents [of dredging] will have to think about different ways to get bigger or more ships into port." "All the other projects that are on the books involving significantly larger amounts of stuff being dumped on the reef, if approved, need to be headed off."

Loading The World Heritage Committee is due to decide in June next year about whether to place the reef's heritage listing on the "in danger" list. "Labor has offered bipartisan support to the federal government to ensure the reef is not placed on the World Heritage in Danger list. However, Labor will oppose any further cuts made to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Bureau of Meteorology, tourism, marketing, research and small business grants programs imposed by the Abbott government," Mr Butler said.