7. Existing protection and management

The Great Barrier Reef Intergovernmental Agreement and Reef 2050 Plan framework is one of a range of other agreements between agencies that form the basis of effective partnerships and collaboration between the Australian and Queensland governments and associated agencies. This is evidenced by the effective engagement within the Reef Joint Field Management Program and joint permission system for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and Great Barrier Reef Coast Marine Park.  

The key stakeholders for the Reef are diverse and generally well known to managers and the Reef Authority’s Actor Network Mapping project is improving the identification of other relevant Reef actors. While engagement and relationships are strongest between the Reef Authority and the Australian and Queensland governments, external institutions such as the World Heritage Centre and IUCN have had a significant impact on policy, inputs, planning and management of the Reef.

Effective stakeholder engagement can occur across a spectrum.¹⁹⁶⁸ For the Region, engagement is most often focused on ‘informing’ (for example, education and stewardship programs, Great Barrier Reef Aquarium, Reef Knowledge System), ‘consulting’ (for example, Reef Authority Board, Advisory Committees and Local Marine Advisory Committees, information collection) and ‘involving’ stakeholders (for example Reef Joint Field Management Program partners, trained community volunteers, Indigenous rangers, Master Reef Guides, High Standard Tourism Program, Reef Guardians, Eye on the Reef participants).

There is less evidence of the ‘collaborating’ and ‘empowering’ types of engagement ¹¹ that fully encompasses co-design, co-development and co-delivery, including free, prior and informed consent from Traditional Custodians.²⁰⁰⁶ However, during the reporting period increased efforts have been made in several areas. Firstly, there have been policy commitments to co-management with First Nations peoples by the Reef Authority ¹¹⁸¹ and Queensland Department of Environment, Science and Innovation.¹¹⁸² Secondly, there is greater engagement by Traditional Owners in management and on-Country work, especially through the expanded Traditional Use of Marine Resources Agreement program. Other improvements include: the incorporation of Values Based Mapping; the employment and training of Indigenous Rangers; and strengthened communications between managers and Indigenous peoples. There are strong and growing connections between research, decision-making and a range of actors, including through the Reef Authority Actor Network Mapping project, National Environmental Science Program and Reef 2050 Integrated Monitoring and Reporting Program.

Partnerships have increased in number and diversity and are underpinned by increasingly complex arrangements, including the nesting of partnerships, particularly in relation to land-based issues such as Natural Resource Management arrangements with regional bodies, local governments and non-government organisations. Investment and brokerage have diversified through initiatives like the Reef Trust Partnership Grant Agreement, where the Great Barrier Reef Foundation and Queensland Government operate as investors and program managers. The various types of partnerships include:

• knowledge-based reporting, such as the Outlook Report and the Reef Knowledge System
• integrated delivery partnerships, such as the Reef Joint Field Management program, Reef Guardians program and those formalised through a of understanding (such as between the Reef Authority Department of Defence and between the Australian Maritime Safety and Maritime Safety Queensland)
• policy and planning partnerships underpinned by the Great Barrier Reef Agreement
• working with Traditional Owners.

Opportunities exist to continue to expand and tailor engagement across relevant stakeholder communities. Remaining challenges include: resourcing of effective engagement and partnering with Traditional Owners; ensuring the most effective engagement of all Reef Advisory Committees in planning and decision-making; developing greater cross-sectoral and cross-scale collaboration and partnerships; and, data management and collaboration coordination.