GBRMPA’s EAP Section and the FMCU are jointly responsible for

ANAO Report No.3 2015–16 Regulation of Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Permits and Approvals 94 • appropriately processed 23 requests from permit holders to change vesselequipment and authorised contacts after establishing the authority of the individuals making the requests and that the requests were within the parameters of the permit conditions for example, in relation to vessel size and maximum passenger capacity; • granted 14 permit transfers in relation to 13 permits with one permit transferred twice after appropriate assessment 97 ; and • approved two variations to permit conditions requested by permit holders one of which was to facilitate an assignment of permit responsibilities during a permit transfer and the other a one-off exemption to the application of particular location limitations. 98

6.7 In addition, GBRMPA initiated, and obtained approval from the permit

holders for, the variation of conditions attached to two permits. One variation was made to accommodate a new methodology for undertaking a crown-of-thorns starfish control program and the other to clarify the expression of, and update, facility conditions to bring them into line with current permit condition templates. Post-approval reporting requirements

6.8 As outlined in Chapter 4, GBRMPA has developed templates containing

standardised conditions for most permit types. These standardised conditions generally establish operational parameters for permit holders for example, locationpassengerspecies collection limitations to undertake their activities without direct GBRMPA oversight. 99 However, some standardised permit conditions have established post-approval reporting requirements that provide an avenue for GBRMPA and third parties to be informed of, or involved in, activities related to the holders’ permitted operations at key milestones or at periodic intervals. Current permits often include conditions that require permit holders to: • obtain GBRMPA approval before undertaking permitted activities including in relation to deedsbonds, nominated vesselsequipment, 97 No permit transfers were refused in relation to the sample of permits reviewed by the ANAO. 98 While both change requests were likely to pose minimal risks to the Marine Park, GBRMPA could have better documented its consideration of the relevant risks. 99 Table 4.1 in Chapter 4 provides more detailed information on these standardised conditions. ANAO Report No.3 2015–16 Regulation of Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Permits and Approvals 95 and environmental management plans EMPs—75.9 per cent of permits sampled; • inform or submit documents to GBRMPA including in relation to deathinjury, proposed works, structure installationremoval, compliance certificates, and research reports—95.7 per cent of permits sampled; • provide information to GBRMPA on request including providing evidence of insurance, the removalclean-up of works, and the submission of works drawings—82.8 per cent of permits sampled; and • involve third parties including, informing QPWS on incidents of deathinjury, research stations in relation to research conducted around particular islands, and environmental site supervisors for major works 100 —83.6 per cent of permits sampled. GBRMPAs’ monitoring of post-approval reporting requirements

6.9 In addition to the assessment of permit applications, GBRMPA’s

EAP Section is responsible for monitoring permit holders’ compliance with post-approval reporting requirements established in approved permits. Some permits require their holders to submit andor obtain GBRMPA’s approval of particular documentation soon after the permit has been granted such as, the executionlodgement of deeds and bonds or before work authorised by the permit can commence such as, research sampling analysis plans. Other permits require permit holders to submit documentation to GBRMPA at regular intervals such as, annual compliance certificates or at permit expiry such as, research fieldwork summaries.

6.10 The extent to which GBRMPA monitors these post-approval

requirements has been mixed. While the monitoring of the execution lodgement of deeds and bonds has been effective, GBRMPA has not generally monitored the receipt, nor effectively documented its assessmentapproval of, most other post-approval reporting documentation that permit holders are required to 100 GBRMPA staff may also undertake the environmental site supervision role.