The Palaszczuk Government’s $10million to support jobs and Reef catchment work is a good start in stimulating regional economies and benefiting the environment at the same time according to the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS).
The Government today announced the $10 million Reef Assist Program which will provide employment for up to 200 people to work in the Reef catchment.
AMCS spokesperson Shani Tager said: “This is exactly the sort of program that’s needed to rebuild regional economies, create jobs and address one of the major threats to our Reef by improving water quality.
“Boosting programs that create jobs, clean up our waterways and manage our land to make sure that the water that flows into our beautiful Reef is clean is a win-win.
“This shows how we can create jobs in areas like Cairns that have been hit hard by the economic impacts of COVID while protecting our Reef, and we hope it’s just the start.
“The greater the investment by the government, the more jobs and the better the outcome for our Reef and our regional communities.”
AMCS has been calling on the Queensland government to Rebuild for our Reef by also backing more renewable energy projects and further supporting the tourism industry.
“Now is the time to boost funding into CleanCo, expand existing solar and battery pilot projects with a focus on public and low income housing, and accelerate the roll out of solar and storage on critical state infrastructure such as government buildings and community facilities,” said Ms Tager.