The Wire

With 85% of the population living within 50 kilometres of the coast and marked changes in global climate patterns, the Australian coastline is under intense pressure. The Federal Government has announced a proposal to create a 30 year management plan for the coastline which Federal Environment Minister Ian Campbell says are being ruined by poor planning and short term vision. Under his proposal State and local governments would have to submit plans to the commonwealth for approval. But the NSW, Queensland, South and Western Australian governments have roundly rejected the plan, as a bid to remove their powers and win National Party votes. Professor Roger Tomlinson is the Director of the Griffith University Centre for Coastal Management. He spoke to Alma Mistry about the state of Australia’s coastline.