Australia to host ambassadors at Great Barrier Reef ahead of ‘in danger’ list vote

Representatives from nine voting nations among guests on snorkelling trip as Morrison government lobbies against Unesco recommendation

Ambassadors from more than a dozen countries will fly to the Great Barrier Reef for a snorkelling trip on Thursday as part of the Morrison government's lobbying campaign to keep the ocean jewel off the world heritage in danger list.

The government's official reef ambassador, Warren Entsch, will host the Canberra-based diplomatic group which, he said, included nine countries with voting rights at the upcoming world heritage committee meeting. Entsch said on Wednesday the diplomats were paying their own airfare.