UNESCO has once again decided not to place the Great Barrier Reef on its "In Danger" World Heritage List. Yet much of the international coverage continues to focus on climate warnings rather than on the broader picture of coral recovery. In this opinion article, Australian commentator Jo Nova argues that political narratives increasingly overshadow the underlying monitoring data. Drawing on Peter Ridd's analysis of Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) data, she contends that the Great Barrier Reef remains in far better condition than is commonly portrayed.