Creation

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority was established by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975 which received the Royal assent on 20 June 1975. The object of the Act was to make provision for the establishment, care and development of a marine park in the Great Barrier Reef region (1).

Function

The Authority consists of a Chairman and two other members, appointed by the Governor-General. The Chairman is appointed as a full-time member and the other members are appointed as part-time members (2).

Dr D F McMichael was appointed as Acting Chairman for the period 1 July 1976 to 30 June 1977 inclusive on 26 July 1976. The two part- time members were appointed on 22 July 1976: Dr J TBaker for the period 1 July 1976 to 30 June 1979, and Sir Charles Barton for the period 1 July 1976 to 30 June 1978 (3) .

The Authority is advised by a consultative committee composed of a member of the Authority and at least twelve other members (4). It meets at least once a year and currently has nineteen members.

The functions of the Authority are:

(a) to make recommendations to the Minister in relation to the care
     and development of the Marine Park including  recommendations,
     from time to time, as to -

     (i) the areas that should be declared to be part of the Marine
         Park; and
    (ii) the regulations that should be made under the Act;

(b) to arrange and/or carry out research and investigations relevant
     to the Marine Park

(c) to prepare zoning plans for the Marine Park (5).

The first staff were made available for the Authority in October or November 1976. The staff ceiling of five is held against the
Environment, Housing and Community Development ceiling.

The Department has allocated the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority a block of numbers from its own annual single number file series and provided it with file covers. While continuing to use the numbers within the block provided by the Department, the Authority has found a multiple number system more useful. The Department's numbers are maintained on the file covers in blue or black ink, and the Authority's own number is placed on the cover in red ink. This is for the internal use of the Authority.

References

(1) Commonwealth of Australia Acts, No 85 of 1975, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975, s 5 (1)
(2) Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975, S 10 (1)-(2)
(3) Australian Government Gazette, No G34, 24 Aug 1976, p 7
(4) Great Barrier Reef Marine Part Act 1975, s 22(1)
(5) Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975, s 7 (1)

See also:

Australia, House of Representatives, Parliamentary Debates, 22 May 1975, pp 2677-2678

Historical agency address

1977-1977: Quarantine Station, Cape Pallarenda, Townsville, Qld
1977-1980: Commonwealth Bank Building, Flinders Mall, Townsville, Qld
1980-1982: Dalgety Building, Denham Street, Townsville, Qld
1982-1987: Melton Place, Corner Melton Terrace and Denham Streets, Townsville, Qld
1987- : Great Barrier Reef Wonderland, 2-68 Flinders Street,Townsville, Qld

Legislation administered

Creation: Commonwealth of Australia Acts, No. 85 of 1975, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975