“Time for a hard conversation”: Great Barrier Reef water quality targets fail

The latest Australian and Queensland Government Reef Water Quality Report Card, released yesterday, reveals widespread failure across key metrics, sparking calls for urgent intervention to halt agricultural deforestation across Great Barrier Reef catchments. 

The Wilderness Society warns that governments’ focus on minor isolated progress obscures a grim reality: the strategy has failed across 11 out of 13 targets. However, governments have failed to mention they missed these core targets.

"This report provides critical insight into Australia’s performance in managing the health of the Great Barrier Reef. If what the governments are currently doing is failing to meet targets, then it’s time for a conversation about what to do differently ," said Emily Dickson, the Queensland Campaigns Manager at the Wilderness Society. 

"The key line that was missing from the press release by Minister Watt and Minister Powell is: 'we have failed to meet the targets that the Reef needs - and we will rein in deforestation in Reef Catchments to protect the Reef.’" she said.

The Australian and Queensland Government’s latest Reef report card shows the devastating reality of the Reef’s health status. Four out of five of the 2025 water quality targets have been missed, with dissolved inorganic nitrogen roughly 50% off target, fine sediment 30% off target, and pesticide risk conditions worse today than they were a decade ago.

The Report also shows forest and bushland along Great Barrier Reef watercourses declining—an alarming result given the crucial role forest and bushlands play as a water filter for the Reef. The report shows coral, seagrass and marine water quality in poor condition, with declines in seagrass and marine water quality.

Forests and bushland along Reef watercourses (known as riparian vegetation) are the Reef's natural filtration system. Bulldozing, largely for beef pastures, is destroying thousands of hectares of riverbank forest and bushland, washing dirty mud and chemical runoff into the Great Barrier Reef.

"Governments must rein in deforestation in Reef Catchments. These results occurred before the EPBC reforms that closed loopholes allowing destruction of forests next to Reef rivers without federal oversight. Now Minister Watt and the National Environment Protection Agency (NEPA) must take strong action to address out-of-control deforestation in Great Barrier Reef Catchments,” said Ms Dickson.

Editor notes:

Overview of report card performance

Failed Targets (11 of 13):

• Reducing dissolved inorganic Nitrogen – Fail
• Reducing fine sediment – Fail
• Reducing particulate nitrogen – Fail
• Protecting aquatic species from pesticides – Fail
• Riparian extent – Fail
• Wetland extent – Fail
• Wetland condition – Fail
• Wetland pressure – Fail
• Coral Condition – Fail
• Seagrass – Fail
• Marine Water quality – Fail

Met Targets (2 of 13):

• Groundcover (following three wet years)
• Reductions in particulate phosphorus

Key findings

• Riparian extent declining: For every year under the strategy, there are fewer trees and woody vegetation in the 50-metre zone adjacent to rivers flowing to the Great Barrier Reef. Riparian extent was down in the latest study period, with 23,345 hectares destroyed .
• Marine water quality failing: Marine water quality remains poor, failing to meet its target in every year monitored and deteriorating from a recent moderate condition rating in 2020.
• Fine sediment reduction missed: The goal to reduce fine sediment by 25% over the life of the strategy was missed, reaching only a 17.8% reduction.