The Greens have reiterated that only strong political action on climate change can secure a future for the Great Barrier Reef following new information it has officially bleached for the sixth time since 2016.
This is the second consecutive bleaching event since 2016, and has unfolded while a historic mass coral bleaching event has also devastated Ningaloo Reef on the nation's West Coast.
As stated by Greens spokesperson for healthy oceans, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson:
"A record mass coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef from yet another marine heatwave caused by the burning of fossil fuels should be the biggest news of this election campaign - but you will only hear crickets from Mr Albanese or our Environment Minister on this.
"Peter Dutton last night refused to say he believed extreme weather events battering our nation were driven by climate change. This leaves people who care about stopping the tragic decline of our natural world one very clear choice at the upcoming federal election: vote Greens to keep Dutton out and get Labor to act on the climate crisis.
"It's not enough for governments to acknowledge climate change is the biggest threat to our marine ecosystems, while sticking their heads in the sand on taking strong climate action. It's coal or coral, you can't have both.
"So long as Australia's government is beholden to fossil fuel corporations we will never get the climate action needed to save the Great Barrier Reef from being annihilated by political stupidity."
As stated by Greens Senator for Queensland, Larissa Waters:
"New coal mines have been approved like confetti by both Labor and Liberal federal governments, despite climate being the biggest threat to the Reef and the 60,000 people whose livelihood depends on it.
"Governments can't continue to throw cash at monitoring the Great Barrier Reef to its death. Only strong political action on the climate crisis can secure a future for the Great Barrier Reef, and that's why the Greens, backed by scientists, continue to say no new coal and gas.
"We are in a climate and environmental crisis and things need to be done differently - but we can't keep voting for the same two parties and expecting a different result. With more Greens in parliament pressuring Labor on strong climate action, this could be our last climate election. If you want change, you're going to have to vote for it."
