31 August 2012 - Work
is set to begin on the strategic assessment
of the Great Barrier Reef to ensure future
development along the Queensland Coast is
well planned and the area's unique values
are protected.
Federal Environment
Minister Tony Burke has approved the final
terms of reference of the strategic assessment
on what will be the biggest and most comprehensive
strategic assessment ever undertaken in
Australia.
The Gillard Labor Government
will work with the Queensland Government
to conduct two complementary assessments
– one conducted by the Great Barrier Reef
Marine Park Authority and the other by the
Queensland Government.
A strategic assessment
provides a big-picture study under national
environmental law, the Environment Protection
and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999,
of an area to assess how environmental values
can be best protected while allowing sustainable
development.
"The aim of the
assessment is to protect the highest value
environmental assets in the Great Barrier
Reef World Heritage Area and adjacent coastal
zone while at the same time enabling sustainable,
long-term development," Mr Burke said.
"Key to the assessment
process is protecting and bolstering the
Reef's Outstanding Universal Value and that's
why the assessment will identify priority
conservation areas where future development
will be restricted or excluded.
"The assessment
will benefit the environment, local communities
and industry and result in streamlined government
environmental processes and reduced approval
timeframes."
Mr Burke said he is
confident the two final terms of reference
address the concerns raised in the more
than 400 public submissions received.
"We have taken
community's comments on the draft terms
of reference into account and have included
independent review processes, areas where
development might be restricted or excluded,
high levels of community engagement and
the explicit consideration of Outstanding
Universal Value and the principles of ecologically
sustainable development in the final documents,"
he said.
Mr Burke said that there
is no doubt the Great Barrier Reef, like
all coral reefs around the world, is subject
to a range of threats.
"However, the World
Heritage Committee has recognised Australia's
management of the property as international
best practice and many stakeholders consider
our management of this great natural wonder
to be the gold standard," he said.
"We must now rise
to the unique, significant and long-term
challenge issued by the World Heritage Committee
in its most recent decision on the Great
Barrier Reef and set the benchmark for the
management of coral reefs around the world."
The terms of reference
are available at http://www.environment.gov.au/epbc/notices/assessments/great-barrier-reef.html
