Statements
Exmouth Gulf Marine Park
Statement
Hon Sophie McNeill (5:21 pm): I rise tonight to make a contribution about the Exmouth Gulf. The Greens welcome this long-awaited announcement from the Cook Labor government to establish a new marine park spanning the entire Exmouth Gulf, which is home to threatened species and unique fauna found nowhere else in the world, including threatened sawfish, dugongs, humpback whales, bottlenose dolphins and 11 species of sea snake. This marine park is a massive win for the community both in Perth and Exmouth, who have spent years campaigning to protect this precious marine ecosystem. In particular, I would like to recognise the years of tireless research and advocacy by the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS), the Cape Conservation Group and marine ecologist Dr Ben Fitzpatrick. We are talking about countless reports, dozens of submissions and thousands of campaign meetings and gatherings. So much hard work has gone into achieving these results. I would also like to congratulate the Nganhurra Thanardi Garrbu Aboriginal Corporation and the traditional owners, the Bayungu, Thalanyjj and the Yinigugurura peoples as they celebrate this new marine park on their country. Thank you for your tireless advocacy.
This morning, Hon Matthew Swinbourn noted the extra $5 million that the government announced last week for the marine heatwave response. It is fantastic to see that the government has listened to the Greens and has now allocated this extra $5 million to respond to this devastating marine heatwave. Previous questioning from the Greens in this place during question time and budget estimates revealed that so far only $65,000 and an extra 0.14 FTE had been allocated to the marine heatwave response. I heard firsthand from the department about how this lack of resourcing and funding was hindering its ability to respond to the full impacts of this devastating event and monitor it fully. Although this new funding is nowhere near enough, it is a good start to build on and it is welcomed.
The key point that I make this evening is that although we love marine parks here at the Greens and the critical protections that they provide, unfortunately, marine parks do not protect our beautiful oceans, stunning corals, or endangered marine life from the impacts of the climate emergency and our warming oceans. A marine park did not stop the coral at the beautiful World Heritage–listed Ningaloo Reef from bleaching and dying. A marine park did not stop 90% of the coral at the stunning Rowley Shoals from dying. This Exmouth Gulf Marine Park will happen in a place where 50% of the seagrass died earlier this year because of the marine heatwave. This is what dugongs in the Exmouth Gulf, in this new marine park, eat. But 50% of what they eat has now died and it is not clear to the scientists who I talked to what impact this will have on those magnificent creatures. I note that the honourable minister's statement this morning stated, "As the WA coral coast recovers", but the thing is, the coral coasts will not be able to recover if marine heatwaves keep happening at the rate that we have been having them.
The coral cannot recover if the ocean continues to keep warming, as predicted if we do not transition away from fossil fuels. It is very clear that we simply cannot afford any new gas projects and the warming ocean temperatures that come with them. The Exmouth Gulf and our stunning Coral Coast will continue to be at risk if the Cook Labor government does not urgently take climate action and stop pushing for massive new fossil fuel projects. The Coral Coast will continue to be at risk if this Labor government allows Western Australia to remain the only state in Australia with rising emissions, the only state without a 2030 emissions reduction target and the only state without a renewable energy target. Our oceans are in crisis and the only way we can protect them is with urgent climate action now. Thank you, President.
