UNESCO recommends listing Great Barrier Reef as 'in danger'

Australia will contest a UNESCO draft recommendation to list the Great Barrier Reef as a world heritage site "in danger."

Western Pacific Ocean Coral on the Great Barrier Reef off Port Douglas, QLD Source: AAP

Citing successive reef bleaching events as being of particular concern, the outlook for the reef has deteriorated from poor to very poor, but the federal government says proper process has not been followed.

The federal environment minister Sussan Ley says she’s been blindsided by a UNESCO draft recommendation to list the Great Barrier Reef as being in danger.