Review of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975
In 2004, the Australian Government decided to review the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975. This review considered the functions of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, the role of its office holders, accountability frameworks and consultation mechanisms. The review also considered the interaction between the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975 and the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. In October 2006, the Australian Government released the Review of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975 - Review Panel Report.
The recommendations are being implemented through legislative and administrative changes. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Amendment Bill 2007, which will amend the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975, was passed by Parliament in June 2007 and received Royal Assent on 28 June 2007. The changes came into effect from 1 July 2007.
The Review Report
The full report of the review can be viewed at the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts website. 
Related submission information
The submission to the review made by the members of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (i.e. the Board) is provided below.
The full submission [ 
225.1KB ] may be downloaded in total, or alternatively, downloaded in parts (three primary parts, and a number of attachments) as follows:
- An Executive Summary [ 27.0KB ] outlines the key recommendations from the Authority (i.e. the Board);
- Part A [ 49.7KB ] outlines how the Great Barrier Reef is currently managed; and
- Part B [ 38.5KB ] expands on the key recommendations, suggesting ways for strengthening the management arrangements to better address the issues facing the Great Barrier Reef over the next 30 years.
Attachment 1
[ 24.3KB ] The Great Barrier Reef - a brief overview Attachment 2
[ 14.5KB ] Previous Reviews relating to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority Attachment 3
[ 12.1KB ] Complexities of the Jurisdictional Arrangements between the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and Queensland Attachment 4
[ 41.9KB ] Proposals for Amendments to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975 Attachment 5
[ 105.0KB ] Implementing Australian Government Policies in the Great Barrier Reef Attachment 6
[ 32.7KB ] Key Challenges for the Future of the Great Barrier Reef Attachment 7
[ 19.7KB ] Increasing Pressures on Field Management of the Marine Park Attachment 8
[ 25.7KB ] List of Recent National and International Awards to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority - A covering letter [ 10.6KB ] notes several statements by the Minister relating to the review.
Any queries about the review should be directed to:
Dr Diana Wright
GBRMPA Review Secretariat
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
GPO Box 787
CANBERRA ACT 2601
Phone (02) 6274 1111
or visit the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts website.