While permit holders and other stakeholders expressed some positive or GBRMPA places a heavy reliance on the templates that it has developed

ANAO Report No.3 2015–16 Regulation of Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Permits and Approvals 69 Recommendation No.2

3.37 To improve the rigour of permit application assessment and

decision-making processes, the ANAO recommends that the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority: a prepare and revise permit application assessment templates and risk templates to better address assessment considerations and risks relevant to the various permit types; and b reinforce to staff the importance of preparing assessment reports for delegates that adequately address regulatory assessment requirements. GBRMPA’s response: Agreed. ANAO Report No.3 2015–16 Regulation of Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Permits and Approvals 70

4. Permit Decisions and Approval Conditions

This chapter examines the delegate’s consideration of permit application assessment reports, the conditions attached to issued permits and follow-up of post-approval requirements. Introduction

4.1 Once a permit application assessment report has been prepared by the

assessment officer, the reports are presented to the GBRMPA delegate and the delegate from the QPWS for a decision on whether to grant or refuse the permit. Applicants are then advised of the delegate’s decision and their reconsiderationappeal rights, and are to be sent a copy of the permit where granted. The ANAO examined the: • basis on which the delegate decided to grant or refuse a permit; • conditions contained in issued permits; and • notification of permit decisions to permit holders and others. 76 Delegate decisions

4.2 The delegations made under the GBRMP Act state that GBRMPA’s Chair

and senior executives, and directors, managers and project managers within the Environmental Assessment and Management Section now the EAP Section have the power to issue Marine Park permits and determine the form, content and terms of approval conditions. In relation to the 786 permit assessments undertaken during the period July 2012 to June 2014, all were determined by an authorised delegate, with the non-routine application assessments generally determined by more senior GBRMPA staff although there is no established policy in this regard.

4.3 Permit application assessment reports and support material including,

as appropriate: the application assessment file, the proposed permit and 76 A sample of 79 permits from a population of 786 GBRMP permits assessed during the period July 2012 to June 2014—10 per cent of the population—was broadly selected in proportion with 12 key parameters of the population, including: the assessment officer; and the permits’ risk level, status and permission type.