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great barrier reef

Placename
great barrier reef
Layer
Poetry in Handard Test
Type
Other

Details

Latitude
-16.35
Longitude
145.9
Start Date
2001-05-23
End Date
2001-05-23

Description

parliament.no: 39
session.no: 1
period.no: 9
chamber: SENATE
page.no: 24175.0
speaker: Senator COONEY
speaker.id: SF4
title: Second Reading
electorate: VIC
type: Bills
state: Not Available
party: ALP
role: Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Aged Care.
incumbent party: False
poet: Not Available
poem: Not Available

Sources

ID
td1557

Extended Data

index
309.0
para
I should pay tribute to Senator Bolkus. He has a program to ensure that the great beauty of this country is preserved. Talking about the Great Ocean Road, I have a very big interest in the Otways, in ensuring that they are saved in their present beauty so that they can be appreciated and go towards uplifting the heart and soul and spirit of people. That is very important, and we sometimes forget that in this chamber. You, Mr Acting Deputy President, are very skilled in the economic field. I have heard you on many occasions explain what to me are very esoteric points in that area. But, even though you have that ability, it does not mean that you lack that soul which appreciates these great areas of beauty and these great things that we are very proud of as Australians and which we want to preserve. But there are people who sail ships into places like the Great Barrier Reef and put them at risk. I note that the second reading speech on this bill says: Last year, a Malaysian-registered vessel ... ran aground on the Great Barrier Reef. The accident was caused by negligence on the part of the operators of the vessel. Damage to the Reef—while significant—was fortunately restricted to an area of approximately 100 x 300 metres— which is of course too much. The second reading speech goes on: Through a combination of good luck and an effective response from management agencies, an ecological disaster was averted. We cannot rely on good luck to preserve the great heritage we have in this country. We have great beauty in Australia and we also have people who are able to express great beauty. If you look at the paintings of Mary Hammond and Rick Amor—you will know what I mean. They are two great Australian artists, both fortunate to be residents in Victoria. They are able to depict with great insight what Australia is all about. There are also great Australian poets, like Bruce Dawe, who comes from Senator McLucas's state. He is a great Queenslander. No doubt, Senator McLucas, who is following me in this debate, will acknowledge the great contribution Bruce Dawe has made to the spirit of Australia. I have gathered all those things together because we are looking at how we want to live our lives, what we want to aspire to, how we want to see ourselves as Australians and what we want to do about protecting that vision we have of ourselves. The Great Barrier Reef is one of the great symbols of all those things. Accordingly, it is necessary that it be preserved. I think Senator Bartlett spoke about the pressure that tourism places upon the reef. Clearly, it would be nonsense simply to let the reef remain alone and isolated, without people visiting it and enjoying its greatness. But the management whereby we can ensure that people are able to go and have a look at the reef and yet keep it pristine, and are able to go and look at other places such as Uluru and Kakadu—places in Australia that just roll off the tongue—is absolutely essential and must be got right, otherwise we will lose a lot. So the way in which we go to these places is important to regulate, and this bill does that. The bill has the support of people across the chamber. I think that is a very good thing and it shows that on issues such as this there can be agreement.