The Australian government has spent $100,000 on travel costs to send environment department officials to lobby other countries not to list the Great Barrier Reef as in danger, according to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald.
The report stated that the government has mounted a massive effort to avoid UNESCO's World Heritage Committee listing the reef as in danger.
The government’s efforts included establishing a dedicated task force within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and travelling to each of the 21 countries on the committee.
The figure does not include travel costs for the Australian Environment Minister Greg Hunt or Australia's ambassador for the environment Peter Woolcott.
Green groups have argued the government should not be spending money on lobbying efforts but on addressing the recommendations of the World Heritage Committee, which called for Australia to substantially increase protections for the reef.
The Great Barrier is one of the miracles of nature. The government of Australia should be doing everything it can to protect the reef - not everything it can to avoid protecting it by lobbying other governments to not list it as in danger.
Will you join me in urging Prime Minister Tony Abbott to stop lobbying against protecting the reef and use the funds to protect it?
Please sign and share the petition.
