Contents

1. Our Online Commitment

2. Agency Overview

2.1 Our Role

2.2 Strategic Directions

2.3 Our customers

2.4 Relationships with other Agencies

2.5 IT environment the agency operates within

2.6 Priority Online Projects

2.7 Time Frame

3. Key functions and services identified for online delivery

4. Legislative Framework and Implications

5. Evaluation and continuous improvement

6. Strategies to ensure organisation meets standards

6.1 Online Standards and Guidelines

1. Our Online Commitment

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) is committed to placing all appropriate services online by December 2001 in line with the Government’s Online Strategy. This Online Action Plan (OAP) outlines the services that will be incorporated in our online presence. All electronic documentation will conform with standards relating to metadata, accessibility, privacy, security, electronic publishing, record keeping and archiving. Details of these standards are available through the Office of Government Online website. Strategies that will be used to ensure compliance with these standards can be found in Section 7 of this document.

GBRMPA’s Senior Management Team will oversee the achievement of the Strategy, made functional through our Communication and Education Unit. The Information Technology unit will deliver services to the online environment through web development and provision of appropriate technical services and advice.

The Authority’s Annual Report and Service Charter inform this Online Action Plan.

2. Agency Overview

2.1 Our Role

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority was established in 1975 and is the principal adviser to the Commonwealth Government on the care and development of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. The Authority’s fundamental obligation is to protect the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and World Heritage Area. Guided by the principle of balancing conservation and wise use, the Authority has created a framework that allows for reasonable human use and ensures the healthy survival of important tropical marine ecosystems.

The Authority undertakes a variety of activities including:

• Developing and implementing zoning and management plans
• Environmental impact assessment and permitting of use
• Research, monitoring and interpreting data
• Providing information, educational services and marine environmental management advice
• Operating Reef HQ

Certain functions are carried out in conjunction with other Queensland and Commonwealth organisations, including the Queensland Environmental Protection Agency (QEPA) which through its Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS), has joint responsibility for day-to-day management of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park subject to GBRMPA guidelines.

GBRMPA has its principal office in Townsville. Two Authority staff engaged in essential liaison tasks are located with the Department of the Environment and Heritage in Canberra. The location of the two offices enables the Authority to have its technical and management resources close to the Reef and also to carry out necessary liaison functions in Canberra.

Staff (including the Townsville office, the staff of Reef HQ and the two located with the Department of the Environment and Heritage) numbered 158 at 30 June 2000.

2.2 Strategic Directions

On 1 July 1998, GBRMPA was restructured to provide a tighter focus for the organisation. Four critical issues groups were established: Fisheries; Tourism and Recreation; Water Quality and Coastal Development; and Conservation, Heritage and Indigenous Partnerships. These are aided by four support groups: Program Delivery (Planning; Environmental Impact Assessment; and Indigenous Cultural Liaison), Corporate Services, Legal Services, and Information Support (Research and Monitoring Coordination; Information Coordination and Analysis; Library; and Information Technology).

Each of these Critical Issue Groups operates under a strategic work program with clear outcomes, objectives and strategies devised for each Group.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander relationships are considered to be of overarching significance with a bearing on all other issues and provision of services by the Authority. For this reason, the Indigenous Policy and Liaison Unit has been established and located within the Program Delivery service section.

The Great Barrier Reef Aquarium, which was repositioned as Reef HQ in August 1999, plays an important role in presenting and promoting an understanding of the reef and its management. The Authority’s education role was further strengthened by the consolidation of the Public Information and Production Unit, Media and Public Affairs Unit and Reef HQ into the Communication and Education Group. The key functions of this group include increasing awareness and understanding of GBRMPA’s role, management systems, policy work nationally and internationally and also to promote the agencies educational messages.

2.3 Our customers

Our customers may be involved in, participate in, or represent any or all of the critical issue areas-fisheries; tourism and recreation; conservation, biodiversity and world heritage; water quality and coastal development-and include:

• individuals, groups, government and private organisations that use the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park for commercial tourism, traditional purposes, recreation, commercial fishing operations and research; and
• individuals, groups and organisations that have any level of interest in or impact on the health and prosperity of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.

Our customers interact with us as partners, applicants, visitors, researchers and information seekers. Tourism Operators as patrons of the reef also play an important role in disseminating information on the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area to their respective clients.

2.4 Relationships with other agencies

GBRMPA is a joint-venture partner in the CRC Reef Research Centre and in INTROMARC. It has no subsidiaries. However, certain functions are carried out in conjunction with other Queensland and Commonwealth organisations. For example all Australian Federal Police officers are inspectors appointed under the Act. Listed below are departments and international bodies the Authority regularly interacts with.

Commonwealth Government Agencies

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC)
• Australian Customs Service (ACS)
• Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA)
• Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS)
• Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA)
• Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS)
• Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)
• Department of Defence (DOD)
• Department of Industry Sport & Recreation (DISR)
• Department of the Environment and Heritage (EA)

Queensland Government Agencies

• Department of Communication and Information, Local Government and Planning, and Sport (CITEC)
• Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
• Department of State Development
• Education Queensland
• Queensland Department of Primary Industries & Fisheries (QDPI&F)
• Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS)
• Queensland Transport (QT)
• Tourism Queensland (TQ)

During the period 1997 to 1999 the Authority provided secretariat and Global coordination functions for the International Coral Reef Initiative. The highlight of the Australian tenure of the Initiative was the convening of the International Tropical Marine Ecosystems Management Symposium in November 1998. At various times the Authority has interacted with the following International organisations.

International Bodies

• The World Conservation Union (IUCN)
• International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI)
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
• World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)
• UN Commission for Sustainable Development (UNCSD)

2.5 IT environment the agency operates within

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority established itself as an early internet adopter registering its domain name in January 1993. Over the last seven years, the Authority has consistently sought to increase the range of information available to stakeholders via the internet.

There is no doubt that GBRMPA's websites will continue to provide significant support to the Authority's goal of providing for the protection, wise use, understanding and enjoyment of the Great Barrier Reef. At present, the Authority maintains a number of websites containing thousands of web related files including database access to some 8000 images and over 900 research papers. Additionally the Authority has some 500 media release email subscribers from all over the world.

Activity on the Authority's websites has increased steadily to the point where over 900 visitors per day seek information on Authority zoning, regulations and management practices.

2.6 Priority Online projects

The development of priority online projects identified by the Agency will further the advancement of GBRMPA services to the online environment. Subsequently wider access, efficiency and timely transactions of our services will be provided to our customers.

These projects give strength to GBRMPA’s Online Action Plan and include the redeveloped Permits Database, Reef HQ web page and procurement services.

2.7 Time Frame

The Agency is committed to facilitating the provision of services online in accordance with the timeframes set out in the Governments Online Strategy. By December 2000 GBRMPA expects to have applied metadata to existing and new content and satisfied the Privacy, Security, Accessibility and electronic publishing guidelines. The agency also expects to fulfil the Online Information Service Obligations.

By June 2001 GBRMPA expects to be able to make payments to suppliers and undertake simple procurement electronically.

3. Key functions and services identified by the agency for online delivery

The following table outlines the specific functions and services, and their related output areas that are provided by the Authority. Click on a specific output for further information relating to the online provision of that activity including:

• A description of that service/function
• Our customers
• Online service availability
• Online servicing complexity
• The potential for the service to be integrated with other services
• Appropriateness of placing the service online, type of access that will be provided
• Potential enhancements and impediments to the online implementation of servicing

4. Legislative Framework and Implications

To ensure the current legislation administered by the agency is relevant and consistent with the online environment, GBRMPA proposes to undertake a review of its legislation. This review will identify any impediments that fall outside the scope of the Electronic Transactions Act 1999, which aims to remove any existing legal impediments to the use of electronic transactions.

A plan of action will be developed in accordance with the review, should GBRMPA’s legislation require amendment to satisfy the provision of services online.

5. Evaluation and continuous improvement

A comprehensive audit of all GBRMPA functions and services will be undertaken in the future by the Communication Education Section

The Authority expects evolving client requirements and new technologies will create new and different opportunities for online servicing and that this will necessitate a review of our online activity. Reviews will be triggered by:

1. Machinery of government changes that affect the Authority
2. Whenever new programs, projects or services are established, and
3. A regular review conducted at least annually.

Statistical analysis of Authority website usage combined with user feedback aid in continuous refinement of website content and design. Client group feed back is sought in relation to some service delivery during design, prototype testing and implementation. Client group involvement will be outlined in the action plans relating to specific service areas. Refer to the previous section of this plan for a list of these services and functions.

6. Strategies to ensure that the organisation achieves agreed standards

6.1 Online Standards & Guidelines

The Authority’s online presence will conform to the standards and guidelines specified in the Government Online Strategy. The table below details progress towards achieving these. Click on the standard to view obligations relating to that standard or guideline.