As noted earlier, the permit application risk assessments prepared by

ANAO Report No.3 2015–16 Regulation of Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Permits and Approvals 64 Review of draft permit application assessment reports

3.25 The review certifies the accuracy and completeness of draft permit

applications assessment reports after endorsements have been obtained from QPWS where requested and, from April 2013, that the applicants have paid any outstanding environmental management charges and the Reef Permits database has been updated. 74

3.26 As outlined earlier in Chapter 2, the checksheets, where prepared,

generally documented the review of permit application processing and assessment reports, but the significant gaps in the completeness of many of certified checksheets reduced the effectiveness of the reviews as a quality assurance measure. In relation to the 79 permit application assessments examined by the ANAO: • records supporting only one of the four non-routine permit assessments without completed checksheets provides a clear indication that the permit assessment process and the draft permit application assessment report were reviewed within the EAP Section before the assessment report was submitted to the delegate for decision; • the checksheets do not evidence that the reviews had been undertaken as required for four assessments 5.1 per cent; and • 48 of the 68 checksheets 70.6 per cent reviewed by managers were incomplete. Timeliness of permit application assessment processing

3.27 Minimising the time taken to assess permit applications enables

GBRMPA to: facilitate timely access to the Marine Park for new applicants to undertake their permitted activities or operations; and promptly reassess the risks posed by the permitted activities or operations of expiring permit holders who seek a new permit. GBRMPA’s permit processing procedures have established a target timeframe of 60 days to assess routine applications. Assessment timeframe targets have not been established for non-routine applications, which are generally more complex and, therefore, expected to take longer to assess. 74 Checksheet templates were updated in April 2013 to reflect a new requirement for assessment officers to record, and assessment managers to certify, that applicable environmental management charges had been paid and that the Reef Permits database had been updated.