As a Marine Park permittee, your obligation to collect the EMC from visitors includes correctly representing the amount of the EMC when advertising fare prices.

It is your responsibility to ensure consistency across all media including websites, brochures, television advertising, tax invoices and receipts.

However, where additional fees and charges are advertised, and you have chosen to advertise or collect the EMC separate to the ticket price then you must ensure that a consumer can readily identify the correct EMC component.

Examples of correct EMC advertising include:

• Total price - $….
• Total price - $…. including Environmental Management Charge of $5.50
  
• Total price - $…. including fees/charges $…. (including Environmental Management Charge - $5.50).
  

You need to be aware that it is a criminal offence under the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975 (the Act) to make a false or misleading representation of the EMC.

You should refer to the Trade Practices Amendment (Clarity in Pricing) Act 2008 for other requirements of price advertising.

To make it easier to explain to your passengers about the EMC, its role in management, and how much each visitor pays, a full colour poster is available on the GBRMPA website at Onboard – The Tourism Operator’s Handbook for the Great Barrier Reef.

How is logbook information used?

• Information from logbooks is used to determine your liability to pay the EMC.
• EMC visitation data is also used by the GBRMPA and QPWS to assist in the management of the Marine Park.
• Information collected from individual permit holders is confidential. Aggregate or ‘combined’ data may be released to the public and other organisations and government departments.

Read our Privacy Notice for Environmental Management Charge (EMC)

Will the EMC increase?

The EMC is linked to the Consumer Price Index (all groups) for Brisbane. Increases take place on 1 April during years when the accumulated indexed calculation reaches $0.40 or more. The GBRMPA will notify permittees of any increases to the EMC at least 12 months in advance.