Turnbull Defends Funding For The Great Barrier Reef Foundation
Great Barrier Reef Foundation chief executive Anna Marsden said the record AU$444 million (FJ$691m) grant from the Turnbull government to the charity was the best way to leverage private sector development to protect the natural wonder from climate change.
Despite criticism of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg signing off on the record funding agreement without an open tender, Ms Marsden said the not-for-profit organisation was best equipped to draw the best science, technology, research and conservation ideas to protect and restore the reef. Mr Turnbull on Friday said the six-year agreement with the Great Barrier Reef Foundation had been done “completely transparently” and would be subject to proper oversight over the life of the grant.
“It’s been considered by the Parliament and passed by legislation, so it’s gone through Parliament. There is nearly a 100-page agreement between the government and the foundation as to how the money will be invested and spent. It will all be subject to oversight by both government and the Australian National Audit Office,” he said.
“So this is a wonderful investment in ensuring that we maintain the health of the Great Barrier Reef.” Ms Marsden said the AU$444m (FJ$691m) agreement with the Department of Environment and Energy would be used to expand corporate philanthropy in Australia, something which has lagged behind other countries such as the United States.
“This record federal government investment is good news for the reef. However, the fact is that we need more financial investment to protect and restore the reef long term,” Ms Marsden told AFR Weekend.
“The raising of private funds will continue to be a focus and responsibility of the Great Barrier Reef Foundation which will further amplify the impact of this Australian government investment and get the best results for the reef over the next six years.”
The half-a-billion-dollar grant, touted as the largest single investment ever for the reef, was back in the spotlight this week at a Senate committee hearing.
It was revealed that only Mr Turnbull and Mr Frydenberg were present in a meeting with foundation chairman John Schubert when the offer of funding was made. Ms Mardsen, who was not present at the meeting, told the committee that Dr Schubert said he was “surprised” about the funding offer, which was then formalised through a 97-page agreement with the department.
The AU$443m (FJ$691m) dwarfs previous government grants to the charity, which had required matching private sector money. Amid claims of favouritism, Mr Frydenberg said the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, which is stacked with big names from the business and science world, had an established fundraising record as well as strong governance and accountability measures.
Some of the projects include a BHP-sponsored project to help rebuild a turtle nesting area; an underwater robot (a project by Queensland University of Technology researchers and partly funded by Google) that helps researchers not only monitor the health of the reef but is a more efficient way to kill crown-of-thorns starfish than human divers; and the development of a film to cut UV rays on coral. “The foundation will work closely with the Department of Environment and Energy and the state government department as well as independent reef advisory bodies and expert institutions such as the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and Australian Institute of Marine Science to ensure the investment is delivered to best effect through a range of delivery partners,” he said.
Labor senator Kristina Keneally said there was a real concern why there was not an open tender for such a large amount of money. She has noted that a number of people on the Great Barrier Reef Foundation board have links to fossil fuel companies and big banks, a fact openly acknowledged by the foundation.
Senator Keneally said the committee would be pushing for foundation board members, including Dr Schubert, to attend the next round of hearings, due in September.
She also ridiculed the foundation’s partnership with high-end jeweller Tiffany & Co to work on a coral bleaching project.
But Ms Marsden said the foundation had a proven track record working with the private sector over the past 18 years, raising more than AU$90m (FJ$140m) for reef science projects.
“This investment will allow us to get on with the critical task of delivering projects with our partners that improve water quality, tackle crown-of-thorns starfish and harness the science to build the reef’s resilience and help it adapt in the face of a changing climate,” she said.
The foundation also bowed to public pressure and this week revealed the names of its four founding members. They include former prominent public servant and founder of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority Sir Sydney Schubert, shale oil developer Sir Ian Macfarlane, former James Hardie executive John B. Reid and David Windsor. (Dr Schubert is no relation to Sir Ian.) Financial Review