GBRMPA Greenies lose power

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MEDIA RELEASE Senator the Hon Ian Campbell
Minister for the Environment and Heritage
C247/06 2 October 2006

REVIEW OF THE GREAT BARRIER REEF MARINE PARK ACT
The Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell, has today released the review of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975. This review delivers on an Australian Government election commitment to review the Act to improve the performance of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, its office holders and its accountability frameworks.

The review panel consulted with a wide range of stakeholders and heard a diverse range of views. The review panel considered 227 submissions and held 36 consultations. The Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell, said the Government
supported the review’s recommendations. Importantly, these include:

– No alterations to the current zoning plan for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park for a
minimum of seven years.
– The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority will continue to be based in Townsville and
work closely with local communities and businesses.
– The Great Barrier Reef Consultative Committee will be reconstituted as an Advisory Board
reporting directly to the Minister for the Environment and Heritage.
– An Outlook Report will be published every five years documenting the overall condition of the Marine Park, effectiveness of management and the risks and pressures on the ecosystem.

The Report will be subject to peer review by an expert panel appointed by the Minister.
Minister Campbell said “The Government will ensure the current zoning plan remains in place until at least 2013 to provide for business and community certainty.

“The zoning plan process will be made more accountable and transparent. Any future decision to review a zoning plan will be made by the Australian Government Minister for the Environment and Heritage who will also ensure that the process by which a review is undertaken is based on comprehensive scientific and socio-economic information, and community consultation.”

Minister Campbell said “I reaffirm the Australian Government’s commitment to protect this national treasure.

“The Queensland Government is intrinsic to the future management of the Great Barrier Reef especially if threats to the Reef from catchment to coast are to be managed effectively. The current The review focused on updating the regulatory, governance and accountability frameworks and
consultative mechanisms required for the long-term protection of the Great Barrier Reef, and the impact of the landmark Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

Minister Campbell said the review was conducted following the implementation of the
Representative Areas Programme which dramatically increased protection of the Great Barrier Reef’s marine life and diversity, and also provided a generous adjustment package to help affected fishing industries and communities adjust to zoning changes.

“I recognise that the implementation of the zoning plan has been difficult for some sectors of the community” the Minister said.
“The review has shown that there are still important lessons to be learned in protecting the marine environment, and implementing these recommendations will ensure future transparency and accountability. This should go a long way towards addressing concerns raised by the fishing industry – particularly the need to strengthen planning processes.”

The review panel was chaired by the Secretary of the Department of the Environment and Heritage, David Borthwick, with Barbara Belcher, First Assistant Secretary, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, and Jonathan Hutson, General Manager, Department of Finance and Administration.

For a copy of the review report see http://www.deh.gov.au

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Fishermen poised to net better deal on Reef management

Recommendations contained in the Report on the recently completed Review of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975 represent a better deal for fishermen on management of the Reef, and recognise that an effective relationship with recreational and commercial fishing stakeholders was lacking in the Representative Areas Programme rezoning process, according to Leader of The Nationals in the Senate, Ron Boswell.

"This Review was promised prior to the 2004 election, primarily as a result of widespread anger in the commercial and recreational fishing industries over the consultation and implementation processes for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority's Representative Areas Programme (RAP) rezoning, and I am pleased to see the Report on the table," Senator Boswell said.

Senator Boswell confirmed that the cost to Government of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Restructure Package, implemented to assist fishing and onshore businesses displaced or impacted negatively by the implementation of the RAP, was 'heading north' of $100 million, and that he didn't wish to see a repeat performance in the future.

Senator Boswell said the Report recommends the GBRMPA be reined in, putting more responsibility for issues such as rezoning of the Marine Park back with the Government of the day.

"The Report recommendations propose to give the Minister an effective 'veto' on zoning plans put up by the GBRMPA, and to provide fishermen with a minimum of 7 years certainty between rezonings," he said.

"There would be a new Advisory Board formed that would allow business and fishing interests to have a real input and provide direct advice to the Minister on reef issues. GBRMPA would only be included on the Advisory Board in an 'observer' capacity."

Senator Boswell said that his own submission to the Review had recommended fairer consultation with commercial and recreational fishing interests and pre-emptive, reliable socio-economic analysis of zoning changes, pointing to inadequate consultation and incorrect, low financial and social impact estimates presented by the GBRMPA before the implementation of the RAP.

"Recommendation 17 of the Report, relating to rezoning says that 'The minimum period for public comment at each stage should be extended from one month to three. Socio-economic analysis should be undertaken and made available prior to consultation and be updated as the zoning plan is developed and refined.' These requirements would be written into the Act," Senator Boswell said.

"The Report's recommendation 14 would require the GBRMPA to produce an Outlook Report for the Marine Park every five years, which would be subject to peer review and would provide a clear science-based indication of the actual status of the Reef, which would then be used as a key input for any future changes to zoning plans."

“The recreational and commercial fishing industry can take comfort from this recommendation to use ‘real’ science and a stronger review process for any future zoning plans.”

"I will continue to work with the Minister for Environment and Heritage, Senator The Hon Ian Campbell, to have the recommendations of the Review panel implemented, and I look forward to ensuring that the cost and disruption to business and lifestyle caused by the RAP rezoning is never repeated."

ENDS

Media contact - 3001 8150

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Reef fishing bans stay
Brian Williams
October 03, 2006 12:00am
Article from: Courier Mail
CONTROVERSIAL no-take fishing zones covering 32.5 per cent of the Great Barrier Reef will be locked in for seven years.
Federal Environment Minister Ian Campbell said yesterday that the Government had accepted the recommendations of a two-year review that there be no changes to the zonings introduced in 2003.
Releasing the review, which was headed by Environment Department secretary David Borthwick, Senator Campbell said the Government accepted the Reef was under pressure.
"Keeping the zonings in place gives certainty to the fishing industry and conservationists. That's what they wanted," he said.
The review also recommended that the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority remain based in Townsville and that a report be produced every five years documenting the park's condition, risks and pressures. WWF Australia spokesman Richard Leck said his organisation supported the review's recommendations, but wanted to see GBRMPA take immediate action to attack the effects of climate change and declining water quality.
Senator Campbell said the report showed the Reef was better protected than others around the world, and in good condition thanks to 30 years of agreement on its management between the Commonwealth and successive Queensland governments.
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act would be revised so that power to initiate rezonings would reside with the minister rather than GBRMPA. Senator Campbell said this was no diminution of GBRMPA's power or independence.
"The minister is ultimately responsible for it and we pay for it," he said.
Nationals senator Ron Boswell said the change would rein in GBRMPA, putting more responsibility for issues such as rezonings back with the government of the day.
It also would mean the minister could veto any further GBRMPA proposals for green zones.
Queensland Tourism Industry Council chief executive Daniel Gschwind said the recommendation that GBRMPA remain intact would help ensure the protection of Australia's most famous tourism asset. Senator Campbell said the 30-year-old Act would be streamlined so it would better sit with the Environment Protection Biodiversity and Conservation Act on issues such as sustainability.
The development project approval system would be refined so developers would have more clarity and deal with fewer organisations, although GBRMPA would still handle 90 per cent of approvals.