Reef at top of agenda

Debating impact of bleaching

THE health of the Great Barrier Reef and its impact on the Cairns economy has dominated a debate in front of the Far North business community.

It comes days after a Deloitte Access Economics report valued the World Heritagelisted reef at $56 billion with more than half of that supporting 64,000 tourism jobs.

The five-member panel, organised by the Cairns Chamber of Commerce, was unanimous in the belief that coral bleaching was a concern for the region.

Reef and Rainforest Research Centre managing director Sheriden Morris said the impact of coral bleaching could have been worse.

“The reality is the Reef will change,” Ms Morris said.

“Once you stop wringing your hands about what is happening, we then have to look at what we can do locally.”

She said future protection areas needed to be looked at.

“We are fortunate that most of our tourism is aggregated around small areas,” she said.

Misinformation about bleaching events published by international organisations and circulated on social media also shouldered the blame.

Cairns Post editor Jennifer Spilsbury said Cairns was fighting global debates about the Reef with its “hands behind its back”.

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Picture: STEWART McLEAN MEETING OF MINDS: Panel members Jennifer Spilsbury, Bob Katter, Trent Twomey, Sheriden Morris and Rob Pyne discuss “What’s Creating the Biggest Challenge for Cairns: Crocs, Bats or Coral Bleaching?” at the Chamber of Commerce debate at the Pullman...