Attempts to uncover Great Barrier Reef lobbying thwarted, researcher says

Legal expert tried to use freedom of information to shed light on Australia's efforts to prevent reef being listed as 'in danger'

A legal expert has criticised Australia's freedom of information regime after spending two years and more than $1,000 trying to shed light on Australia's enormous lobbying effort to prevent the Great Barrier Reef from being listed as "in danger".

In 2014-15, Australian government officials spent more than $100,000 visiting and lobbying members of Unesco's world heritage committee to keep the Great Barrier Reef off the "in danger" list.