Bleaching is worst in the Great Barrier Reef’s remote north. Morgan Pratchett/ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies,

Bleaching is worst in the Great Barrier Reef’s remote north. Morgan Pratchett/ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies,

A GREAT Barrier Reef watchdog has hit out at the Federal Budget handed down last night, saying it ignores the massive coral bleaching crisis it is facing.

Great Barrier Reef campaign director at the Australian Marine Conservation Society, Imogen Zethoven, says the budget also puts mining before the natural wonder and the Queensland economy, according to the Australian Marine Conservation Society.

She said last night's budget allocated $100 million in new funding to make reef health worse by subsidising mining companies to find new mines in Queensland.

"This is despite global warming being the major driver of the current coral bleaching disaster on the Reef and a threat to the $6 billion tourism industry that relies on it," Ms Zethoven said.

"The Federal government's determination to press ahead with the expansion of coal mining in Queensland will only fast-track global warming and make matters worse for the Reef," she said.

"The Reef supports a $6 billion tourism industry that generates 69,000 Reef-friendly jobs for Queenslanders yet the government is propping up a mining industry that is shedding thousands of jobs and risking the Reef.

"Every dollar spent subsidising the mining industry is a dollar that could have been invested in more renewable energy, better water quality and supporting the 69,000 jobs generated by Reef tourism," she said.

The Great Barrier Reef's watchdog, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, also missed out in favour of the mining industry. GBRMPA has failed to received any increase in funding over at least the past five years, despite the growing community desire for more on-ground action to protect the Reef and the emergency created by coral bleaching and industrialisation.

"Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt and his government colleagues like to talk up how much they value the Reef but they have failed completely to follow through with the scale of action and funding needed to save the Reef in this budget," Ms Zethoven said.

