By Francesca Davis
The Great Barrier Reef is considered one of the most preserved reefs in the world. But for how long? Loopholes in legislation and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority's "multiple use" management approach mean its survival is in jeopardy.
The most recent threat to the reef is Southern Pacific Petroleum and Central Pacific Mines' plan to mine for shale oil in the 30% of the reef that is not protected by the park.
These "exclusion zones" were created at the insistence of Queensland Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen when the marine park was established in 1975.
Although petroleum drilling is banned within the region, mining for shale oil is not. Five mineral development leases and one full scale mining lease were granted by the Borbidge government in 1996. Now a $250 million pilot plant is being built near the Stuart deposit, one of seven known deposits.
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority fears that acid leachate from spoil heaps, heavy metals and liquid effluents will inevitable escape into World Heritage-listed waters, creating an ecological disaster.
Studies of the Stuart project show that holding ponds have the potential to overflow. Tankers will carry the oil through coral waters. Ironically, the park was established as a consequence of campaigns against mining on the reef.
Even without mining, the Great Barrier Reef is still being assaulted by a variety of commercial and development interests. "Multiple use" in some areas is supposed to be offset by other areas being designated "no-take", where no marine life can be removed or damaged.
Over 90% of the park is zoned as available for commercial, recreation and intensive tourism. Only 4.6% of the park — containing 11.5% of the reef — is designated "no-take".
Not all the ecosystems in the park are adequately protected, despite the Marine Biology Institute's recommendation that a minimum of 20% of all marine ecosystems be within no-take areas. None of the animals and plants that live inshore are represented. Only 2.4% of lagoons and 1.1% of the reef slope are protected.
Within multiple use areas, the park authority is forced to "balance" ecological needs against projects such as the Hinchinbrook resort, which threatens the survival of the endangered dugongs and reefs. The effect of the construction of the Dawson and Nathan super-dams is yet to be seen.
Coral death from water pollution from agricultural and sewage run-off and climate change bleaching is an added concern.
When the Great Barrier Reef was accepted on the World Heritage list in 1981, the World Conservation Union commented, "There are places that are of such outstanding universal value that their disappearance constitutes a harmful impoverishment of the heritage of all humanity". The Great Barrier Reef is such a place. It must be saved.