Labor says it will move to disallow new marine park management plans proposed by the Turnbull government, branding the change the “largest removal of marine area from conservation, ever, from any government in the world”.



The new management plans were uploaded by officials on the federal register of legislation on Tuesday, cutting across a public announcement the Turnbull government had planned to make on Wednesday.

The shadow environment minister, Tony Burke, said the changes being proposed by the government were a significant step backwards in terms of conservation.

Labor will move to disallow the proposed management plans in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

He’s done it. Frydenberg just released the new marine parks. It’s the largest removal of area from conservation ever from any government in the world. In the Coral Sea, long lining and trawling is now allowed from north to south. #auspol #oceans — Tony Burke (@Tony_Burke) March 20, 2018

“There has never been a step backwards in conservation area as large as this from any country on earth,” Burke said on Tuesday.

Josh Frydenberg and Malcolm Turnbull made history today by removing more area from conservation than any other government in the world, ever. Have a look at the maps for the Coral Sea. #ocean #auspol #marineparks pic.twitter.com/7zk3WBYW4n — Tony Burke (@Tony_Burke) March 20, 2018

Labor before it lost office in 2013 unveiled a network of 42 marine reserves that was largely welcomed by environmental groups, but was designed to have a minimal impact on commercial activities, which led to some criticism from conservationists and scientists.

When Tony Abbott came to government in 2013, Labor’s proposal was suspended. Abbott said he did not want to “lock up our oceans” and that more consultation was needed.

The Turnbull government has taken the process through to its conclusion. Following a scientific review the Coalition released draft management plans for consultation in September last year. The final boundaries appeared on Tuesday.

Burke said the government’s proposal was more negative than the one proposed by its experts. “Josh Frydenberg has looked at those changes and determined that even they didn’t go far enough and has decided to take even more areas out of environmental protection.”

Labor says the plans have also opened up a recreational fishing zone to commercial operators.

“The worst area affected is the Coral Sea,” Burke said. “Purse seine, longlining and mid-water trawling, which is the same method used by the super trawler, are all now allowed across the Coral Sea with a clear uninterrupted path from north to south.”

The environment minister, Josh Frydenberg, rejected Burke’s characterisation. He described the new regime as “a world-leading management regime” for Australia’s marine parks.

Frydenberg said the new management plans would mean Australia had 36% of its waters included in marine parks, and the new plans would be beneficial for recreational fishers.

Quick Guide Coral in crisis: last chance to act Show What is coral? Coral is made up of layers of skeletons of tiny animals called polyps. Over many years, these colonies form banks that are known as reefs. Only the living surface of the coral is coloured – the layers of dead matter beneath are white. Where are reefs found? Coral reefs are located in tropical oceans. The world’s largest coral reef is the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. The second-largest is off the coast of Belize, in central America. Other reefs are found in Hawaii, the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean. Because they need sunlight to survive, the reefs form in waters that are usually no deeper than 45 metres. Why are they important? They protect coastlines from damaging wave action and tropical storms; provide habitats for thousands of species of marine organisms; and generate essential nutrients for food chains. They are also a critically important source of revenue. It is estimated that the Great Barrier Reef alone supports a tourism market worth more than A$1.5bn (£842m) a year to the Australian economy. Why are the reefs dying? The temperature of our oceans is rising as global warming grips our planet. When the water temperature gets too warm, corals expel the algae that thrive in their tissue and provide them with nutrition. Coral without the algae quickly die of starvation. Tourism is also taking its toll. When boats carrying visitors drop anchor, they smash into reefs and spill oil into once-pristine waters. Hotels also pump sewage on to the reefs, as our report points out. How bad is the threat? Marine biologists estimate that roughly 75% of the world’s coral reefs face danger. Local threats include destructive fishing, uncontrolled coastal development, tourism and pollution. Global threats include climate change and ocean acidification. How many reefs will die out? We have already lost about half of all the world’s coral reefs, most them having disappeared over the past 30 years. Scientists warn that even if we could halt global warming today, more than 90% of the reefs will die by 2050.

Robin McKie, Science Editor Photograph: Auscape/Universal Images Group Editorial

He said under the revised arrangements 97% of commonwealth waters within 100km of the coast would be open for recreational fishing, and 80% of marine parks.

Frydenberg said the government’s proposal would mean an increase of 200,000 square kilometres in the area with seafloor protection.

The government acknowledges that its new management plans contain fewer green zones, but it contends that “overall” there will be more areas protected by both green and yellow zones.

It also warns if the plans aren’t supported, protections for marine parks will revert to the status quo. Frydenberg says it will “take years to go through the necessary statutory processes and bring forward new plans”.