Great Barrier Reef water quality to be monitored in real time in pollution crackdown

Queensland government defends coalminer's investment in online tracking tool, which will be showcased to world heritage committee ahead of Unesco's final ruling on 'in danger' listing

The Queensland government will use new real-time water quality monitoring to take action against industrial and agricultural polluters of the Great Barrier Reef, says the state environment minister.

Steven Miles also defended the role of the state's largest coalminer, BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA), as a cornerstone investor in the "eReef" tool, despite carbon-driven climate change being the reef's greatest long-term threat.