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Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority Annual Report 2011-12 GREAT BARRIER REEF MARINE PARK AUTHORITY ANNUAL REPORT 2011-12 www.gbrmpa.gov.au GREAT BARRIER REEF MARINE PARK AUTHORITY ANNUAL REPORT 2011-12 © Commonwealth of Australia 2012 This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from the Australian Government, available from the Attorney-General's Department. Requests and enquiries concerning reproduction and right should be addressed to the Commonwealth Copyright Administration, Copyright Law Branch, Attorney-General's Department, National Circuit, Barton ACT 2601, or posted at http://www.ag.gov.au/cca. ISSN: 0155-8072 Web address of this report: www.gbrmpa.gov.au Prepared by: Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority Designed by: Verve Design Front cover image: 'Fountain of Youth — our waters are also our enjoyment' by Kathi Gibson-Steffensen Contact officer Director Communications Section Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority PO Box 1379 TOWNSVILLE QLD 4810 Telephone: 07 4750 0700 Fax: 07 4772 6093 Email: [email protected] Web: www.gbrmpa.gov.au ii GREAT BARRIER REEF MARINE PARK AUTHORITY ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority PO Box 1379 TOWNSVILLE QLD 4810 28 September 2012 The Hon Tony Burke MP Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities PO Box 6022 House of Representatives Parliament House CANBERRA ACT 2600 Dear Minister In accordance with subsection 53(1) of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975, I submit the Annual Report of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority for the year ended 30 June 2012. This annual report has been prepared following the Requirements for Annual Reports issued by the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet on 28 June 2012. Yours sincerely Russell Reichelt Chairman iii GREAT BARRIER REEF MARINE PARK AUTHORITY ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 Figure 1: The Great Barrier Reef Region iv GREAT BARRIER REEF MARINE PARK AUTHORITY ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 CONTENTS Introduction 1 In this annual report 2 Chairman's review 4 Overview 11 About the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority 12 Organisational structure 14 Responsible Minister 15 Legislative framework 15 Finances overview 16 Staff overview 17 Performance 19 Introduction 20 Section 1: Addressing key risks affecting the outlook for the Great Barrier Reef 20 Overview 23 Partnering with the science community 24 Climate Change Action Plan 25 Improving water quality CONTENTS 32 Protecting coastal ecosystems 37 Ecosystem-based management approach 40 Section 2: Ensu ring that management delivers ecologically sustainable use of the 44 Great Barrier Reef Overview 47 Regulating use of the Marine Park 48 Sea country management 54 Field Management Program 60 Building constructive relationships 71 Biodiversity and heritage values 75 Reef Guardian program 77 Section 3: Maintaining a high performing, effective and efficient organisation 82 Overview 84 Maintaining systems 86 Education and communication 90 Fulfilling heritage obligations 95 International Coral Reef Initiative 98 Quantitative achievements 99 v GREAT BARRIER REEF MARINE PARK AUTHORITY ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 Management and accountability 101 Corporate governance 102 The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority 102 The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority Audit Committee 105 Advisory committees 108 Corporate and operational plans 109 Service charter 111 Ethical standards 111 Internal and external scrutiny 112 Australian National Audit Office reports 112 Internal audit reports 113 Commonwealth Ombudsman 113 Management of human resources 114 People Management 114 Employment agreements 114 Training and staff development 115 Work health and safety 115 Dive safety and operations 116 Workplace diversity CONTENTS 117 Providing access for people with disabilities 117 Asset management 118 Purchasing 118 Delegations 118 Chief Executive’s instructions 118 Consultants and contracts 119 Grant programs 119 Finances 121 Analysis of financial performance 122 Financial statements 125 Appendices 185 Appendix A: Agency resource statement and resources for outcomes 186 Appendix B: Staffing overview 189 Appendix C: Advertising and marketing 190 Appendix D: Freedom of information 191 Appendix E: Ecologically sustainable development and environmental performance 193 Appendix F: Staff papers and presentations 199 Appendix G: Queensland Government financials 207 Acronyms and index 231 vi GREAT BARRIER REEF MARINE PARK AUTHORITY ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES Figures Figure 1: Map of the Great Barrier Reef Region Figure 2: Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority organisational structure (as at 30 June 2012) Figure 3: Income by source 2011–12 Figure 4: Expenses by category 2011–12 Figure 5: Map showing the spatial coverage of Reef Guardian Councils Figure 6: Type and number of permissions granted during 2011–12 Figure 7: Number of passengers submitted using environmental management charge online Figure 8: Tourist visits to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park since 2007–08 Figure 9: Map showing the area of Great Barrier Reef Marine Park coastline covered by Traditional Use of Marine Resources Agreements and Indigenous Land Use Agreements Figure 10: Number of offences reported to the agency’s Field Management Program since 2003–04 Figure 11: Number of information reports received by the agency’s Field Management Program since 2004–05 Figure 12: Pollution and shipping incidents reported in, or adjacent to, the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area during 2011–12 Figure 13: Number of pollution and vessel incidents reported from 1990–91 to 2011–12 Figure 14: Reported marine turtle strandings from 2007–08 to 2011–12 Figure 15: Reported dugong strandings from 2007–08 to 2011–12 Figure 16: Map showing location of sites at which Reef Health and Impact Surveys were undertaken during 2011–12 Figure 17: The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority’s corporate planning process vii GREAT BARRIER REEF MARINE PARK AUTHORITY ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 Tables Table 1: Objective 1, deliverables, key performance indicators and achievement highlights 2011–12 Table 2: Objective 2, deliverables, key performance indicators and achievement highlights 2011–12 Table 3: Environmental management charge administrative compliance action summary Table 4: Summary of Commonwealth offences reported by management area during 2011–12 Table 5: Summary of compliance actions taken during 2011–12 Table 6: Court actions taken during 2011–12 Table 7: Reef Health and Impact Surveys undertaken in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area in 2011–12 Table 8: Objective 3, deliverables, key performance indicators and achievement highlights 2011–12 Table 9: Quantitative deliverables and key performance indicators — Targets and achievements since 2009–10 Table 10: Meetings of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority 2011–12 Table 11: Meetings of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority Audit Committee 2011–12 Table 12: Meeting dates of the Reef Advisory Committees 2011–12 Table 13a,b: Agency resource statement and resources for outcomes 2011–12 Table 14: Employee overview as at 30 June 2012 Table 15: Workplace diversity figures as at 30 June 2012 Table 16: Media advertising organisations used in 2011–12 viii GREAT BARRIER REEF MARINE PARK AUTHORITY ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION 1 GREAT BARRIER REEF MARINE PARK AUTHORITY ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 INTRODUCTION IN THIS ANNUAL REPORT The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority’s Annual Report 2011–12 complies with requirements for annual reports outlined by the Australian Government Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. The Annual Report 2011–12 is consistent with the structure of the Portfolio Budget Statement for the agency. Following the Chairman’s review, the annual report comprises four chapters: • Overview • Performance • Management and accountability • Finances. The Overview provides a corporate background to the agency including its role and functions. A summary of financial performance and a staff overview is also provided. The Performance chapter details the 2011–12 actions of the agency to meet its stated outcome of long-term protection, ecologically sustainable use, understanding and enjoyment of the Great Barrier Reef for all Australians and the international community, through the care and development of the Marine Park. The chapter is presented in three sections, relating to each of the agency’s three objectives. The content details how the agency has met the deliverables and key performance indicators that relate to the objectives, as outlined in the Portfolio Budget Statement. Section 1 addresses the first objective: Addressing key risks affecting the outlook for the Great Barrier Reef. Section 2 addresses the second objective: Ensuring that management delivers ecologically sustainable use of the Great Barrier Reef. Section 3 addresses the third objective: Maintaining a high performing, effective and efficient organisation. 2 INTRODUCTION GREAT BARRIER REEF MARINE PARK AUTHORITY ANNUAL REPORT 2011–12 The Management and accountability chapter of the annual report covers the delivery of the management framework that supports effective functioning of the agency. This includes corporate governance, statutory and advisory committees, management and training, work health and safety, asset management, corporate services and management consultants. The Finances chapter delivers an analysis of financial performance
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