Director of National Parks Annual Report 2011–12

Managing the Australian Government’s protected areas

© Director of National Parks 2012

ISSN 1443-1238

This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process, re-used or

redistributed without prior written permission from the Director of National Parks. Any permitted reproduction must acknowledge the source

of any such material reproduced and include a copy of the original copyright notice. Requests and enquiries concerning reproduction and

copyright should be addressed to: The Director of National Parks, PO Box 787, Canberra ACT 2601.

Director of National Parks Australian business number: 13 051 694 963

Credits

Front cover

Fringe lily – Jon Harris

Uluru – Damien Hill, Uluru Photography

Conserving rock art – Parks Australia

Horn-eyed ghost crab – Fusion Films

Female superb fairy-wren – Jon Harris

Maps – Environmental Resources Information Network

Designer – ZOO

Editor – Wordwallah

Indexer – Barry Howarth

Printed by – Union Offsets

Map data sources

Indigenous Protected Areas (Declared), Collaborative Australian Protected Area Database, (CAPAD 2010): © Commonwealth of Australia,

Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, 2012

Localities, State and Territory Borders: © Commonwealth of Australia, Geoscience Australia

Caveat: All data are presumed to be correct as received from data providers. No responsibility is taken by the Commonwealth for errors or omissions.

The Commonwealth does not accept responsibility in respect to any information or advice given in relation to, or as a consequence of anything

contained herein.

Projection: Albers Equal Area Datum: GDA 1994

Director of National Parks Annual Report 2011–12

iv Director of National Parks | Annual Report 2011–12

Figure 1: Locations of Commonwealth parks and reserves which are the responsibility of the Director of National Parks in 2011–12

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vDirector of National Parks | Annual Report 2011–12

Our mission

To assist the Minister and the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities in the conservation and appreciation of Australia’s biological diversity and associated cultural heritage through leadership and cooperation in the management of Australia’s protected areas, building knowledge of Australia’s biodiversity and working with Indigenous Australians.

Our values and approaches

As part of the Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities portfolio, Parks Australia is committed to professionalism as a major public service institution serving the Australian Government and minister in accordance with the values of the Australian Public Service and specific departmental values including:

• caring for the environment

• respecting and responding to the values of Indigenous landowners and other partners

• engaging with and responding to stakeholders

• providing leadership and being active team contributors

• committing to learning and development

• committing to excellence in operations

• accepting responsibility and being accountable

• acting with integrity and achieving results.

We achieve our objectives by:

• basing our work on the best available information and analysis

• working in partnerships to improve environmental, cultural and heritage outcomes

• communicating and influencing effectively

• valuing and investing in our people to develop their capabilities

• effectively managing risks

• developing and delivering high quality policies and programs

• managing change in a strategic and flexible manner

• monitoring and managing performance to ensure cost-effective outcomes.

vi Director of National Parks | Annual Report 2011–12

Managing the Australian Government’s protected areas

An organisational snapshot

The Director of National Parks is the statutory agency responsible for the Australian Government’s terrestrial and marine protected area estates. The Director is assisted by Parks Australia, a division of the Australian Government Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, in managing terrestrial reserves. The department’s Marine Division and the Australian Antarctic Division are responsible for managing marine reserves.

In 2011–12 the Director of National Parks:

• managed seven terrestrial reserves comprising six national parks and the Australian National Botanic Gardens

• managed 26 marine reserves and two conservation zones through the Marine Division and the Australian Antarctic Division

• managed Calperum and Taylorville Stations through a contract with Austland Services Pty Ltd

• employed 261 full-time equivalent staff around Australia

• recorded a total price output of $74.7 million.

Major highlights for 2011–12

• The Australian National Botanic Gardens launched a new management plan and new branding, giving the Gardens a whole new look

• Kakadu National Park cemented its place amongst Australia’s top tourism attractions, winning bronze at the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards

• Kakadu traditional owner and park ranger Jeffrey Lee was recognised in this year’s Australia Day Awards as a Member of the Order of Australia

• The declaration of the Southern Tanami Indigenous Protected Area added 10,158,000 hectares to the National Reserve System and created the largest terrestrial protected area in Australia

• Australia signed the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilisation on 20 January 2012 and consultations and work on the ratification process are ongoing

• The Minister released the Australian Government’s final network of marine reserves which—once proclaimed under national environmental law—will increase the number of Commonwealth marine reserves to 60, expanding the national network to 3.1 million square kilometres, by far the largest representative network of marine protected areas in the world

viiDirector of National Parks | Annual Report 2011–12

Contents

Our mission iii

Our values and approaches iii

Managing the Australian Government’s protected areas iv

1 Director’s review 1

The Director’s overview of the year

2 Corporate overview and financial summary 11

The Director’s legal basis and responsibilities

Income, expenditure and system information at a glance

Information on the work undertaken by the agency

3 Organisational structure 39

Key management

Membership of statutory boards

Our staff

4 Planning, reporting and performance 49

Planning, operating and reporting frameworks and strategies

How the agency performed during 2011–12

5 Management and accountability 77

Key corporate governance arrangements including compliance and enforcement and agency safety statistics

6 Financial Statements 91

Audited 2011–12 financial statements

7 Appendices 127

A Agency resourcing statement 2011–12 128

B Portfolio Budget Statements reporting 2011–12 129

C Ecologically sustainable development and environmental performance 145

D Compliance index 154

Glossary and shortened forms 155

Index 156