Our Board

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority Board Members — Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority Board members

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority reports to the Minister responsible for the Environment.

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority Board (referred to as the Authority Board) oversees the organisation and the current membership is listed below.

The Chairperson and the Chief Executive Officer are board members. They are chosen by the Federal Minister for the Environment and are appointed by the Governor General.

The Chief Executive Officer is the only full time member of the Board. Note the Chief Executive Officer is not subject to direction by the Authority Board in relation to the Chief Executive Officer’s performance of functions, or exercise of powers under the:

Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (PGPA Act); or
Public Services Act 1999 (PS Act).

The Board meets a minimum of four times per year, however it can meet as many times as is required.

The Board Charter, sets out the functions, roles and responsibilities of the Authority, taking into consideration relevant legislation and management practices within an operational setting.

Responsibilities

Under new governance arrangements that began in October 2018, the Chief Executive Officer is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and is the Accountable Authority and Agency Head for the purposes of the PGPA Act and PS Act respectively.

The Authority Board, led by the Chairperson, is responsible for the management of the Marine Park under the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975. This includes:

Developing plans and policies to allow for a range of ecologically sustainable uses
Encouraging the engagement of users in the management of the Reef
Assisting Australia in meeting its international obligations in relation to the World Heritage Convention.

The Board may delegate its powers to enable agency staff to make decisions about operational matters that give effect to the board’s policies and guidelines (e.g. permit decisions).

However, the Board doesn’t make decisions on how the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority spends its budget. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority’s budget and expenditure is the responsibility of the Chief Executive Officer as the Accountable Authority.

Qualifications and experience

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975 requires board members have qualifications and extensive experience in a field related to the functions of the Authority. It also requires:

One board member be nominated by the Queensland Government
One member be Indigenous with knowledge of Indigenous issues in the Marine Park
One member have tourism industry expertise.

Marine Park Authority Decisions

A summary is provided after each Authority Board meeting.

Each summary will have regard for any privacy requirements, and include decisions that are required to be made public under the Australian Government's Information Publication Scheme (IPS).

MPA Meeting 262 - Board Report August 2020
MPA Meeting 261 - Board Report June 2020
MPA Meeting 260 - Board Report April 2020
MPA Meeting 259 - Board Report February 2020
MPA Meeting 258 - Board Report December 2019
MPA Meeting 257 - Board Report October 2019
MPA Meeting 256 - Board Report August 2019
MPA Meeting 255 - Board Report June 2019
MPA Meeting 254 - Board Report May 2019
MPA Meeting 253 - Board Report March 2019
MPA Meeting 252 - Board Report December 2018
MPA Meeting 251 - Board Report September 2018
MPA Meeting 250 - Board Report June 2018
MPA Meeting 249 - Board Report March 2018
MPA Meeting 248 - Board Report December 2017
MPA Meeting 247 - Board Report September 2017
MPA Meeting 246 - Board Report June 2017
MPA Meeting 246A
MPA Meeting 246B
MPA Meeting 246C

Authority Board members

Dr Ian Poiner, Chairperson, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority

Dr Poiner is a highly respected marine scientist with a long history of involvement in Great Barrier Reef science and conservation.

Dr Poiner is the current Chair of the Australian and New Zealand International Ocean Discovery Program Consortium, Chair CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere Advisory Committee and a member of the board of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority. His recent roles include, Chair of Australia’s Integrated Marine Observing System; Marine National Facility Steering Committee and the Reef and Rainforest Research Centre. Dr Poiner is also the Patron of the Australian Marine Sciences Association.

Following a successful research career at CSIRO (1985–2004), Dr Poiner served as the CEO of AIMS from 2004 to 2011. He was a member of the International Scientific Steering Committee of the Census of Marine Life from 2002 and its Chair from 2007 to 2013. From 2012 to 2016, he was Chair of the Gladstone Healthy Harbour Partnership Science Panel.

In 2008, Dr Poiner was appointed a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering in recognition of his leadership of research and development based enterprises for the benefit of marine science, the conservation of some of the most iconic marine life and marine habitats on Earth including the Great Barrier Reef, and the development of the marine industry.

In 2013, JCU awarded Dr Poiner an Honorary Doctor of Science in recognition of his outstanding service and distinguished public contribution to the northern Queensland community and exceptional service rendered to the University, comprising of academic excellence and the exercise of outstanding leadership. Dr Poiner holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) 1A Zoology and a PhD in Zoology from the University of Queensland.

On 29 October 2018, Dr Poiner was appointed as the part-time Chairperson of the Authority Board for a term of four years and six months. Dr Poiner replaced previous Chairperson Dr Russell Reichelt who retired in 2018 after 11 years with the Authority.

Mr Josh Thomas, Chief Executive Officer, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority

Mr Thomas was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority in 2019 for a term of five years. Mr Thomas has over 15 years’ experience in the public and private sector in Australia and overseas. He has helped shape and lead environmental policy and programs for the Great Barrier Reef and in terrestrial natural resource management.

Mr Thomas has worked in a number of senior public sector roles and across the environment, agriculture and finance portfolios, as well as in federal Ministerial offices. He has a strong track record of public engagement on matters affecting Australia’s World Heritage sites, and through major environmental programs such as the Biodiversity Fund and Caring for our Country.

Mr Thomas’ policy experience in the marine environment extends across the Great Barrier Reef and its catchments, migratory and endangered species, whaling matters, marine parks and Antarctica. He is committed to enhancing Australia’s natural environment and has been a strong advocate for incorporating both contemporary science and Indigenous traditional knowledge into environmental management throughout his career.

Mr Thomas lives in Townsville and holds a Master of International Affairs, Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Arts (Honours).

Mr Dave Stewart

Mr Dave Stewart was appointed the Director-General of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet in 2015.

He has considerable experience in the public service. As the former Secretary of Transport for New South Wales, he led around 27,000 people in shaping the planning, policy and delivery of public transport, roads and freight across the state.

Following a distinguished career in local government, and engineering construction in Australia and the United Kingdom, Mr Stewart joined the Queensland Government as Deputy Coordinator-General within the Department of Infrastructure and Planning. In this role he was responsible for delivering major water and road projects.

Earlier, he was the Director-General of Queensland Transport and then the Department of Transport and Main Roads, overseeing the integration of organisations to a new customer focused model. His primary responsibility was transport leadership including strategic policy and planning, system stewardship, infrastructure delivery and service delivery.

Mr Stewart is an advocate for regional Queensland and one of his highlights as Director-General is participating in the community champions program for Indigenous communities, where he regularly visits the community of Pormpuraaw and assists them with accessing much-needed government services.

He holds Masters Degrees in Business and Engineering Science and completed a Harvard executive program looking at private sector involvement in infrastructure delivery.

Mr Stewart is also a Fellow of Engineers Australia, Honorary Fellow, Chartered Institute of Transport and Logistics, Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering and Fellow of the Institute of Public Administration Australia.

Mr Stewart was appointed as a member of the Authority Board on 23 July 2015 for a three-year term, concluding on 22 July 2018 and was re-appointed the Queensland member of the Authority Board on 21 June 2018 for a five-year period commencing from 23 July 2018.

Prof Emma Johnston AO

Photo of GBRMPA board member Emma Johnston Professor Emma Johnston AO FTSE FRSN is Dean of Science and Professor of Marine Ecology and Ecotoxicology at UNSW Sydney. Professor Johnston studies the impacts of human activities in marine ecosystems and how we can build ecological resilience. Her research is conducted in diverse field environments; from Antarctica, to the Great Barrier Reef, and temperate Australian estuaries.

A highly awarded scientist, educator and communicator, Professor Johnston has published more than 160 peer-reviewed articles and supervised 25 successful PhD graduates. She is an elected fellow of the Australian Technological Society (ATSE) and her awards include the Australian Academy of Science’s inaugural Nancy Millis Medal and the Royal Society of New South Wales Clark Medal and the Eureka prize for Science Communication. In 2018 she was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (OA) for “distinguished service to higher education, particularly to marine ecology and ecotoxicology, as an academic, researcher and administrator, and to scientific institutes”.

Professor Johnston is a national advocate for the Science and Technology sector and is a Director on the Board of the Antarctic Science Foundation and is immediate past-President of Science & Technology Australia. She consults with industry through the development and implementation of new biomonitoring and ecological engineering techniques and frequently contributes expert opinion to state, federal & international government agencies. Professor Johnston is also a highly sought-after science communicator and television presenter for the ongoing BBC/Foxtel series, Coast Australia and ABC Catalyst.

She was appointed as a member of the Authority on 5 May 2016 for a five-year term concluding on 4 May 2021.

Ms Wendy Morris

Ms Morris developed a passion for the Reef while sailing and exploring the far northern reefs from Port Douglas 1974. After graduating from James Cook University with a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology/Zoology, followed by an Honours degree at Murdoch University. She founded the first marine biologist guided snorkelling tours with her company Reef Biosearch on Quicksilver from Port Douglas in 1986 and continues to spend time on the reef.

Since 1990, Ms Morris has been involved in tourism businesses including reef charter vessels, hotels, resorts and attractions. Through her family’s company, she was involved in the successful establishment of the Mt Emerald Windfarm.

Board appointments have included Tourism and Events Queensland, Tourism Port Douglas Daintree, Advance Cairns, Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef most recently as Chair of Tourism Tropical North Queensland. She is also a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. In 2017, Ms Morris was awarded the Marie Watson Blake Award for outstanding contribution by an individual by the Queensland Tourism Industry Council.

Ms Morris was appointed as a part-time member of the Authority Board for five years effective from 7 February 2019.

Mr Duane Fraser

Mr Duane Fraser is a Wulgurukaba and Bidjara Traditional Owner, and has extensive experience advising Commonwealth and State Governments on matters relating to Indigenous Affairs and Environmental Policy.

Mr Fraser enjoys a diverse national and global network that includes high level influencers, current and ex-politicians from both major parties, senior executives, and grass roots communities. He uses his profile to create positive change and impact to ensure Traditional Owners are given the opportunity for full and effective participation and leadership roles at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life. Mr Fraser has presented at numerous international fora on the advancement of Indigenous peoples of the world and their empowerment in the protection and safeguarding of their delicate biocultural land and seascapes, heritage and cultural expressions.

Mr Fraser has a high-level understanding of the Authority's strategic objectives and ministerial priorities and has demonstrated experience in providing advice to multiple state and federal government ministers.

Currently serving as Chair of the Federal Minister for the Environment's Indigenous Advisory Committee (IAC), Mr Fraser serves on several committees including the Reef 2050 Advisory Committee and the NESP Tropical Water Quality Hub Steering Committee.

Ms Robbie Sefton

Ms Robbie Sefton brings a wealth of experience in stakeholder engagement, natural resource management, and strategic communications.

She is currently the Managing Director of Sefton & Associates Pty Ltd, a rural strategic communications company. She is also a partner in the Nangandie Pastoral Company farming enterprise producing wool, meat and grains.

She has extensive experience across a number of agricultural sectors and direct experience of the links between agriculture and natural resource management.

She is a member of numerous boards and advisory groups for governments, business and not-for-profits.

This includes Chair of the Panel for the Independent Assessment of Social and Economic Conditions in the Murray-Darling Basin, Deputy Chair of the National Australia Day Council and is a board member of the Cooperative Research Centre for High Performance Soils.

Ms Robbie Sefton has lived, worked and traveled all over regional, rural and remote Australia as rural leader and advocate.

She was appointed as a member of the Authority on 28 May 2020 for a five-year term concluding on 27 May 2025.