The Australian and Queensland Governments have been working together for the long-term protection and conservation of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park since its inception in 1975. This cooperative approach was formalised by the Emerald Agreement in 1979 and a series of collaborative arrangements have evolved over time since this original agreement.

The Australian and Queensland Governments agreed to update these arrangements, recognising that the challenges facing the protection of the Great Barrier Reef are constantly changing.  In July 2009 a new agreement was created called the Great Barrier Reef Intergovernmental Agreement.

The objective of the Great Barrier Reef Intergovernmental Agreement is to ensure an integrated and collaborative approach is taken by the Australian and Queensland Governments to manage marine and land environments within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.

Great Barrier Reef Ministerial Forum

Following a review of the Ministerial Council system by Dr Allan Hawke, the Council of Australian Governments (CoAG) agreed on 13 February 2011 to replace the existing Ministerial Council system with a three-tiered system commencing 1 July 2011. Under the new system, the Great Barrier Reef Ministerial Council was discontinued as a formal CoAG Council. However, Ministers agreed to continue to meet outside of the formal CoAG system pursuant to the Great Barrier Reef Intergovernmental Agreement. From 1 July 2011 the Council is referred to as the Great Barrier Reef Ministerial Forum.

Implementation of the Intergovernmental Agreement is being driven by the Great Barrier Reef Ministerial Forum. The Ministerial Forum's role is set out in the Intergovernmental Agreement. Protocols for its operation are set out in a schedule to the Agreement.

The Ministerial Council met 32 times under the 1979 Emerald Agreement. The Ministerial Council held its first meeting under the new Intergovernmental Agreement on 3 July 2009. The Ministerial Forum held its first meeting on 12 August 2011.

The 35th meeting of the Great Barrier Reef Ministerial Forum was held on 11 December 2012 in Brisbane. The Ministers discussed the positive progress of the joint Strategic Assessment of the Great Barrier Reef and the Australian Government’s proposed response to the 2012 World Heritage Committee decision on the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.

A communique is available, outlining the outcomes of this meeting.