The structure of the report is outlined in Table 1.1.

ANAO Report No.3 2015–16 Regulation of Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Permits and Approvals 42 • templates categorised by permit type—covering most application forms, risk assessments, assessment reports and permitspermit conditions.

2.4 Overall, the guidance materials support the assessment of permit

applications by GBRMPA staff. However, permit application assessment procedures are contained in multiple documents that do not clearly address all relevant requirements and processes. In particular, procedural documents: • are in draft form or overdue for a reviewupdate 46 , with some documentation not subject to review for up to five years; • do not address all key relevant assessment considerations—including the incorporation of risk assessments into the assessment process; and • do not indicate how assessors are to developtailor assessment reportscoversheets and permit conditions relevant to the activity recommended for approval or refusal.

2.5 To better manage the risks associated with out-of-date, ambiguous or

incomplete guidance materials for permit processing, it would be prudent for GBRMPA to streamline and consolidate content, and to clarify and expand coverage. Processing permit applications

2.6 GBRMPA and QPWS have established a joint permitting system that

allows applicants to apply for permits under Commonwealth and Queensland marine park legislation through a joint permit application and assessment process. Once an application is approved, permit holders are issued with a single permit covering the conduct or operation of the activityfacility in both the Marine Park and coast Marine Park. Under current arrangements, GBRMPA assumes the lead role in the assessment of joint permits against Commonwealth and Queensland requirements 47 with the exception of camping and education permits that are assessed by QPWS, although delegates from each jurisdiction are required to approve the permits. 46 Most GBRMPA permit assessment procedural documentation nominates a date at which time the documents are expected to be reviewed for currency. 47 The audit examined GBRMPA’s assessment of permit applications against Commonwealth requirements only. Most recreational and commercial fishing activities in the Marine Park are subject to state permits and licenses issued by Fisheries Queensland outside of the joint permitting system. ANAO Report No.3 2015–16 Regulation of Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Permits and Approvals 43

2.7 Permit applications are graded on a four-point scale based on the risk

that the proposed activity poses to the Marine Park. Routine applications Level 1, which constitute approximately 90 per cent of all permit applications, are subject to limited assessment activity. Assessments increase in coverage and detail for applications graded as Level 2, 3 or 4. While GBRMPA has established limited guidance with examples to assist its staff to grade permit applications by risk see Table 2.1, the rationales for the risk level assigned to each permit application are not documented. The improved documentation of rationales for assigned risk levels for each permit application would better demonstrate that permit assessments and the subsequent permit conditions imposed are commensurate to the risks posed to the Marine Park from the activities proposed in applications. Table 2.1: Examples of permitted activities by assessment level Level of Assessment Type of Activity Examples Level 1 approx. 90 of permits Minor projectoperation minimal andor transient impact • Operation of a tourist program, vesselaircraft charter • Researcheducation • Take from harvest fishery • Mooring facility Level 2 approx. 9 of permits Small projectfacility low andor short term impact • Constructionoperation of: − small jetty or pontoon − minor pipelines − barges − snorkel trails Level 3 1 of permits Medium scale projectfacility public interest, sensitive environment, moderate andor medium impact • Soil disposal from port maintenance dredging • Minor resortmarina facilities Level 4 1 of permits Complex or large scale project public interest, irreversible andor major impact • Large capital dredge andor soil disposal • Major resortmarina facilities Source: ANAO, adapted from GBRMPA information.

2.8 In general terms, the processing of a permit application involves its

receipt, GBRMPA’s collection of relevant documentation and information to undertake an assessment of the application, the preparation of a permit