The recommendations will inform a final decision by the UN’s world heritage committee next month, which, if in favour of declaring the reef in danger, would herald a new era of outside scrutiny of its care.

Federal and state ministers are reportedly confident that the scale of their investments and legislation to tackle reef threats – as well as an unprecedented lobbying effort by the Abbott government – will be enough to spare them the embarrassment of a listing.

Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/may/29/great-barrier-reef-unesco-to-release-draft-ruling-on-in-danger-listing