Great Barrier Reef: UN report lead author 'shocked' all Australian references removed

Draft chapter warned reef was 'poor and deteriorating' but all references were excised following government intervention

" Australia scrubbed from UN climate change report after government intervention

The lead author of a major UN report on climate change has expressed his shock that every reference to Australia was removed from the final version, following intervention from the Australian government.

Guardian Australia on Friday revealed that chapters on the Great Barrier Reef and sections on Kakadu and Tasmanian forests were removed from the World Heritage and Tourism in a Changing Climate report, following the Australian Department of Environment's objection that the information could harm tourism.