Australia: The Environment Department has effectively confirmed former Environment Minister Peter Garrett's move to declare interim emergency protection of the entire Coral Sea last year was a stunt to keep green groups happy, says opposition National Party Senator, Ron Boswell.
In Senate Budget Estimates this week the department declared that the Zone would be treated as just another potential site for marine reserves, like anywhere else around the Australian coastline, with no special deadline or consideration.
Former Minister Garrett's declaration of the Coral Sea as a conservation zone last year, using emergency provisions in federal environment law, implied an immediate or emerging threat that justified interim protection, and special assessment of longer term protection, according to Boswell.
"It was obvious at the time that the Minister was using the process just to provide a sop to those green groups that wanted to see the Coral Sea become a 100 percent no take zone," Senator Boswell said.
"By indicating to the Senate this week that the zone will simply be treated like any other area for further assessment in the marine park planning process, and its fate will be part of the East Bioregion plan, department officers have effectively confirmed Garrett's use of the special provisions in environmental law was just a stunt.
In the recent election campaign Labor said most of its plans for marine parks, including along the entire East Coast, would not be made public until the end of next year.
Earlier in the year Mr Garrett had switched the announcement on East Coast marine reserves, including in the Coral Sea, from mid to late this year – until early next year, says Senator Boswell