The protection of the Great Barrier Reef from the environmental impact of the resources sector will be a major focus for the government as it attempts to convince local tourism operators the two industries can coexist.
Speaking at a Queensland Tourism Industry Council Forum in Brisbane, tourism minister Martin Ferguson attempted to allay concerns the state’s thriving mining sector was damaging its coastal ecosystems.
UNESCO warned earlier this year that the reef could be downgraded to a World Heritage Site in Danger, putting tourism in the region at risk.
Ferguson insisted most mining activity took place far from the coast but assured delegates the government was “committed” to the protection of the the reef from both agriculture and mining.
“When people think of Queensland, it is not coal mines they first think of, but Queensland’s natural beauty and ideal climate,” he said.
A comprehensive strategic assessment of the reef is underway, with measures in place to reduce agricultural impact.
“Tourism operators and community members can expect us to apply similar rigour to any future mining proposals that could potentially affect the reef,” he said.
Ferguson also called for cooperation between the two industries on skills development with both bracing for severe labour shortages over the coming years.
Creation of “mutual employment pathways” was critical to ensure both sectors continued to fill roles. He also urged tourism to follow the lead of the mining sector in increasing its number of Indigenous employees in regional areas.
Business travel was also an area for future collaboration, he added, with fly-in, fly-out workers accounting for 23% of domestic bsuiness nights in Australia in 2010.
