The next federal government must consider extending the Great Barrier Reef marine park to include the Coral Sea, making it the world's greatest marine park, the Australian Greens say.
Greens leader Bob Brown said the Coral Sea is one of the world's unrecognised wonders, and is home to 30 coral atolls and large marine species such as swordfish, turtles, sharks and tuna.
Senator Brown said the next federal government should extend the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority's ambit to cover the Coral Sea.
"There is a need to exclude future oil and gas exploration which would pose an enormous threat to the Coral Sea, which extends over 800,000 square kilometres beyond the 350,000 square kilometres Great Barrier Reef Marine National Park," Senator Brown said in a statement.
Senator Brown will join Queensland Senate candidate Larissa Waters in Brisbane later Tuesday to outline the plan.