Labor details plan to protect reef

Labor has outlined how it will spend most of the $200m set aside to protect the Great Barrier Reef. Source: AAP

LABOR says it will boost the health of the Great Barrier Reef by spending $137 million to improve farm practices, water quality and wetlands in Queensland.

Federal Environment Minister Mark Butler on Friday revealed which projects would be funded under Labor's Reef Rescue program.

Of the $200 million to be spent on the program over the next five years, Labor has allocated $137 million to specific projects, mainly in far north Queensland.

This includes $64 million for farmers to reduce sediment and nutrient run-off into the reef and generally improving water quality, $26 million to protect and restore wetlands and $21 million to track the health of the reef.

A further $26 million will go to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority in Townsville.

"The scale of this investment reflects how seriously we are taking the challenges facing the reef," Mr Butler said in a statement.

"Our partners have done excellent work already to improve land management and we want this to continue to ensure long term improvements to reef health."

The Reef Rescue program has been running since 2008 and will continue for at least another five years under Labor.

Earlier this year the United Nation's environment arm said Australia needed to take better care of the reef or risk having the reef listed as a World Heritage site "in danger".

UNESCO will review the reef's status listing in June next year.

Greens Senator Larissa Waters says Labor's funding commitment falls short of what is needed to protect the reef.

"What we've seen today is Labor reannounce some old funding they announced in April, rather than tackle the key issues," she told AAP on Friday.

These include concerns raised by UNESCO about increased coal and gas extraction and shipping along the Queensland coast.

"The mass industrialisation of the reef that UNESCO was expressing extreme concern about and particularly about proposed coal ports ... where's the announcement about that?," Ms Waters said.

The Greens have promised to stop new dredging projects and ensure dredge spoils can no longer be dumped inside the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage area.

Their $176 million package to protect the reef includes an extra $100 million over four years for the Reef Rescue program.

The opposition's environment spokesman Greg Hunt said Labor has added nothing new to the protection of the reef in Friday's announcement.

"It is the crown of thorns which is having more significant short-term impact, any plan to protect the reef must include that as a priority," he said.

The coalition has said they'll maintain existing funding and will provide an additional $5 million for dugong and turtle protection.

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