The Greens call for the Albanese Government to urgently consider and implement recommendations handed down today in a Senate inquiry report into marine invasive species.
As stated by Greens spokesperson for healthy oceans, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson:
"The spread of marine invasive pests is arguably one of the most significant environmental challenges we face in our oceans, but is rarely talked about or acted upon. The Greens hope the release of this critical report today will change this.
"This historic Senate report has been years in the making and its important recommendations were directly informed by over 150 stakeholders from around the nation - including recreational and commercial fishers, scientists, First Nations and other communities, the Tasmanian, Victorian and NSW governments, and federal agencies such as the FRDC and CSIRO.
"The Greens would like to thank everyone who participated in the Senate inquiry and who have been working for years to raise awareness and educate people regarding this issue, including the need for Federal Government leadership and funding.
"I moved for this inquiry because invasive long-spined sea urchins have range-shifted down our east coast with climate change and decimated precious marine ecosystems and fisheries in their wake. It's been obvious very little has been done by any level of government to coordinate or manage a response to this worsening menace.
"Kelp forests that underpin the Great Southern Reef are Australia's forgotten forests. Entire swathes of these ecosystems are becoming totally barren due to the spread of long-spined sea urchins, and it's predicted that Tasmania has already lost a third of its productive east coast reefs due to this invasive species.
"The Senate heard that the loss of marine biodiversity and habitat resulting from the unchecked spread of invasive urchins has had severe impacts on commercial and recreational fisheries, tourism businesses and local communities along the Great Southern Reef - spanning southern NSW, down through Victoria and Tasmania, and as far as New Zealand.
"Stopping new fossil fuel projects and reducing emissions is the number one priority to prevent rapidly increasing ocean warming which is the root cause of the spread of climate-related marine invasive species. However efforts must also be focused on better managing the spread of destructive pests and on adapting to our changing environment.
"The Great Barrier Reef rightly receives hundreds of millions of dollars to help tackle the invasive crown-of-thorns starfish, while the Great Southern Reef gets next to no funding or support to tackle risks presented by the long-spined sea urchin and other climate change pressures. This is despite 70% of the Great Southern Reef's species not being found anywhere else on earth, far more than the World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef.
"The critical Senate inquiry report serves as a blueprint for federal government leadership and action to protect the Great Southern Reef. All sides of politics agree that action is needed to protect the Great Southern Reef and I implore the Albanese Government to urgently consider and implement recommendations handed down today in the Senate inquiry report."
