Great Barrier Reef Foundation

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Great Barrier Reef Foundation
FormerlyGreat Barrier Reef Research Foundation
TypeNon-profit
IndustryEnvironmentalism
Founded19 November 1999; 22 years ago (1999-11-19) in Newstead, Queensland, Australia
Headquarters
Australia Edit this on Wikidata
Area served
Australia
Key people
  • John Michael Schubert AO (Chairman)
  • Anna Catherine Marsden (Managing Director)
RevenueDecrease AUD$ 7,715,306[1] (2017)
Increase AUD$ -1,339,246 (2017)
Increase AUD$ -1,339,246 (2017)
Total assetsDecrease AUD$ 3,297,679 (2017)
Members127
Number of employees
6 (2017)
Websitebarrierreef.org

The Great Barrier Reef Foundation is an Australian non-profit organisation established in 1999[2] to help protect and preserve the Great Barrier Reef. The foundation was formed in response to the first mass coral bleaching of the reef in 1998.[3][4]

2018 Government grant controversy[]

In 2018 the Turnbull Government announced an unprecedented AUD$443 million grant to the foundation. The grant was met with backlash and questions of corruption, as the grant was not properly tendered and failed to follow transparency rules.[5][6] The Australia Broadcasting Corporation noted that when the government awarded the foundation the grant, it had just 6 full-time employees, whereas the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, another organization working in the same field, had over 200 full-time employees.[7] They also noted that the grant's decision was made after a private closed-door meeting between Malcolm Turnbull, Josh Frydenberg, and the foundation's chair, and that there was no competitive process for this grant.[7] The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the organization refused to disclose its founders, which included shale oil developer Ian McFarlane, and asbestos magnate John B. Reid.[8]

References[]

  1. ^ "Annual Report 2017" (PDF). Great Barrier Reef Foundation. Retrieved 14 September 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ^ ASIC Company Record; ACN 090 616 443
  3. ^ "The Foundation". Great Barrier Reef Foundation. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  4. ^ Science, jurisdiction=Commonwealth of Australia; corporateName=Australian Institute of Marine. "About the Australian Institute of Marine Science". www.aims.gov.au. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  5. ^ environment; science; Slezak, technology reporter Michael (16 January 2019). "Government's $444m grant to reef body did not comply with transparency rules, Audit Office says". ABC News. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  6. ^ Chen, David; Gartry, Laura (22 May 2018). "Labor slams $444m reef funding to foundation with 'six full-time staff' without tender". ABC News. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  7. ^ a b Purtill, James; Tilley, Tom (8 August 2018). "We spoke to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation that may have to give back $444m". www.abc.net.au. Australia Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  8. ^ Hannam, Peter (1 August 2018). "Secretive Great Barrier Reef Foundation reveals four founding leaders". www.smh.com.au. The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
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