$1B coalition reef pledge not enough: KAP

The money would extend the federal government's investment under the Reef 2050 Plan to more than $3 billion, and is targeted at supporting marine science, deploying new climate adaptation technology, investing in water quality programs, and on-water management practices to reduce threats from Crown of Thorns Starfish, protect key species, and prevent illegal fishing.

As well as welcoming the news, Canegrowers suggested that some of the funding should be directed to cooperative landholder programs such as Smartcane BMP.

CEO Dan Galligan said the voluntary program that encouraged industry best practice was well ahead of the targets set for it when the state government contributed to its rollout, but that funding was running down with the Queensland investment ending mid-2022.

AgForce CEO Mike Guerin said it was "clearly fantastic news" for the reef and the farmers who call its catchments home.

He pointed to Environment Sussan Ley's words that "our farmers, tourism operators and fishers are our reef champions" and said AgForce was pleased that urban run-off would also be assessed as part of the government's funding arrangements, not just run-off from farms.

Local Government Association of Queensland CEO Alison Smith said Queensland councils were acutely aware of the importance of the Great Barrier Reef.

"Queensland's 32 reef catchment councils are already the single largest investor in reef conservation'" she said.

"We estimate their investment is more than $228 million per year.

"On behalf of our members, we have been seeking a commitment from both state and federal governments to match this funding to address issues such as water quality in a bid to protect the reef and the 64,000 Queensland jobs it supports."

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News that the funding would examine urban water runoff was also hailed by Special Envoy for Northern Australia, Senator Susan McDonald.

Ms McDonald, who initiated a 2020 Senate inquiry into reef science, said that for years farmers' use of fertilisers had been solely blamed for nitrogen runoff into the GBR lagoon.

"Farmers have been asking why urban stormwater and wastewater runoff didn't seem to take its share of the blame for reef nitrogen levels, but this will now be assessed," she said.

"This is really good news because farmers have slashed their fertiliser use in recent years but nitrogen levels in reef waters have remained stubbornly above targets.

"Urban runoff has long been suspected of offsetting farmers' efforts but now we're looking at examining its impact and finding practical ways to handle it."

KAP's Bob Katter has described the announcement as throwing money at the reef without fixing obvious problems, in a bid to win votes.

Mr Katter said he had been pleading the town of Cardwell's case to the federal minister for the last two years.

"There is no sewage system for the town and nearly the entire population lives 150 metres from the ocean," he said.

"I can't imagine a worse situation. What we need is a further $23m to the money that's already been allocated to properly fix it up.

"Ayr has a magnificent answer to suburban runoff going onto the reef with their Macro-Algal Bioremediation facility and they need serious funding too."

KAP deputy leader and state Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto said the federal government's $1 billion fund to save the Great Barrier Reef was once again attempting to put the blame on farmers, as the cause of climate change and growing environmental threats.

"The Great Barrier Reef is thriving, while our growers bear the brunt of over-the-top regulations," he said, saying it was a ploy to look strong for climate change and the environment in an election year.

"We still have no idea what the last $440 million contribution did to help improve the health of the reef," he said.

"If the government really wants to invest in saving the reef and the environment, why don't they look at seriously managing feral pigs that are causing erosion to national parks and damaging agricultural practices."

Mr Katter derided previous Crown of Thorns starfish eradication programs, saying there had never been any information published on how many starfish had been removed.

In 2020, Ms Ley said that since the current outbreak had begun in 2010, more than 160 reefs had been patrolled and over 700,000 of the COTS had been culled.

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