Overview
- Henry cites about 500,000 hectares cleared in Reef catchments from 2019 to 2023, linking runoff to coral stress from sediment, nutrients and pesticides.
- The government counters that its bill will introduce national environmental standards, higher penalties and urgent protection orders, with passage targeted by year‑end.
- The package would empower Environment Minister Murray Watt to issue National Environmental Standards and create a National Environmental Protection Agency.
- UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee has urged Queensland to tighten protections, including closing Category X exemptions, as Henry calls for genuine federal‑state cooperation.
- Economic stakes feature prominently, with Deloitte Access Economics estimating the Reef supports about 77,000 jobs and contributes roughly $9 billion annually.