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Australia gives further funds to protect the GBR

The additional funding to be used over the next nine years will add to an existing A$2 billion package designed to shield the reef from environmental threats over the next three decades. More than half of the new funds will be used to improve water quality by preventing land erosion and limiting nutrient and pesticides runoff from farms. The rest will be used to target invasive species and for monitoring systems.

But James Cook University Associate Professor of Marine Biology, Dr Jodie Rummer, said that it was shocking that climate change was not addressed at all in the plan.

"All of these solutions and all of these efforts towards these problems are going to be for nought if we're not addressing the main problem that the reef is facing and that's the effects of warming that are coming with climate change," Rummer said.

Morrison has steadfastly ruled out tougher action on greenhouse gas emissions, arguing it would cost jobs, and has ruled out strengthening Australia's 2030 emissions target.