Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority Members

Dr Russell Reichelt

Chairman and Chief Executive of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority

Dr Russell Reichelt was appointed as Chairman and Chief Executive of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority on 1 November 2007. He is presently a board member of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, the Great Barrier Reef Foundation and the Reef and Rainforest Research Centre, and a member of Queensland’s Smart State Council. He has a PhD in marine science from the University of Queensland (1980), and has served as Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Institute of Marine Science, Chairman of the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation and as a member of Australia’s State of the Environment Committee. Dr Reichelt has previously chaired the National Oceans Advisory Group, CSIRO’s Wealth from Oceans Flagship Advisory Committee and Seafood Services Australia Ltd. He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, Fellow of the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (UK) and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. His membership ends on 31 October 2012.

Ken Smith

Ken Smith has been a member of the GBRMPA since 2007. Mr Smith has been the Director-General of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet since September 2007. He has also been Queensland’s Co-ordinator General and Director-General in the Departments of Infrastructure, Education and the Arts, Employment and Training, Families,Youth and Community Care and Housing, Local Government and Planning. As a senior public servant in Queensland for more than 18 years, Mr Smith has taken a lead role in many fundamental reforms in the State particularly in education. Mr Smith is a Fellow of the Australian College of Educators and Adjunct Professor of Education at the University of Queensland, Griffith University and the University of Sydney. His current term of membership ends on 30 January 2011.

Russell Beer

Russell Beer is a lawyer and partner of Queensland law firm MacDonnells Law where he leads the firm's commercial team and practises commercial and business law and government advisory. Mr Beer’s recent work includes commercial advice on climate change and Australia's proposed emissions trading scheme, and air and sea port issues. Before returning to full time legal practice in 2008, Mr Beer was the firm's Chairman of Partners for a decade. Mr Beer lives in Cairns and is currently Chairman of Advance Cairns. He  also holds committee roles in sporting and charity organisations. He is a former member of the Ministerial Advisory Council for the Australian Government's Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility. Mr Beer was appointed as a member of the Authority on 29 August 2008 for a three-year term.