Great Barrier Reef Foundation A$443m grant (Australia)
- The record does not name which of my species, waters, soils or forests were harmed.
In 2018 the Australian government awarded a A$443 million grant to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation without a tender. The national audit office reviewed the award in January 2019.
Great Barrier Reef Foundation, 2018. The audit office reported administrative costs of up to A$86m.
Status As of the latest sources reviewed (2025): the award was audited in January 2019; no later outcome of the grant is on record.
- Great Barrier Reef Foundation — Received the A$443 million grant; administrative costs of up to A$86 million were recorded. Australian National Audit Office
What happened
In 2018 the Australian government awarded a grant of A$443 million (A$443.3 million in the audit office's report) to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation. The award was not put to tender. The Australian national audit office (ANAO) published a performance audit of the award in January 2019 (audit report No. 22, 2018-19).
The audit office's findings, as recorded, included that the grant was made without competition and that its administrative costs could reach A$86 million.
Press reports said the foundation's paid annual advisory panel included mining and fossil-fuel companies. The sources reviewed do not carry the foundation's or the government's own account of the award.
The Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) reported in 2025 the sharpest decline in the reef's coral cover on its record, as summarised in the sources reviewed.
- 2018A$443m awarded to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation without a tender
- 2019January: audit office publishes performance audit of the award (No. 22, 2018-19)
- 2025AIMS reports the sharpest decline on the reef
How it looked
Shown
Recorded
- The audit office examined the award of A$443.3m to the foundation; the grant was not competitively tendered and administrative costs of up to A$86m were recorded.
- Press reports said the foundation's paid annual panel included mining and fossil-fuel companies.
In court and with insurers
Lawsuits and rulings
Insurers
What nature saw
Nature's report opens this page. Below: further outcomes measured on the ground.
What we don't know
Nature
- Not measured Harm to nature: The record holds no measurement of harm to nature.
Record
- Insufficient Details attributed to the audit office in a secondary summary that was not independently verified: the foundation had 6 employees, the award took 11 working days, and the grant was paid up front.
- Unclear The reef-spending breakdown of the grant is not given in the sources reviewed.
Did the harm stop?
Not on record in the sources reviewed.
Who paid?
The grant was funded from the Australian federal budget.
Sources
Government and regulators
- Award of $443.3 million grant to the Great Barrier Reef FoundationAustralian National Audit Office · 2019-01
Connected cases
- Great Barrier Reef 'in danger' listing delayed Australia · 2021–2025 Related matter
- Great Barrier Reef Foundation (NGO) — here: Grant recipient; there: Recipient of a reported 2018 government grant (unverified)
- Government of Australia (Government) — here: Grant provider; there: Government that lobbied committee members
- Australia and Tuvalu sign Falepili Union with annual ballot for migration visas Tuvalu · 2023
- Government of Australia (Government) — here: Grant provider; there: signed the Falepili Union and set the visa ballot
- Australian government water purchase from Eastern Australia Agriculture (Cayman-linked firm) Australia · 2017–2020
- Australian National Audit Office (Public authority) — here: Auditor of the award; there: Auditor of limited-tender water purchases
- Nauru and Banaba phosphate mining compensation Nauru · 1920–1993
- Government of Australia (Government) — here: Grant provider; there: Reported payer of A$107 million (unverified)
- World Court says fossil fuel production may be a wrongful act under international law Global · 2022–2025
- Government of Australia (Government) — here: Grant provider; there: respondent to the 2022 finding