The Health of the Governance System for Australia’s Great Barrier Reef 2050 Plan: A First Benchmark

Karen Vella (), Allan Patrick Dale, Diletta Calibeo, Mark Limb, Margaret Gooch, Rachel Eberhard, Hurriyet Babacan, Jennifer McHugh and Umberto Baresi
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Karen Vella: School of Architecture and Built Environment, Faculty of Engineering, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
Allan Patrick Dale: The Cairns Institute, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD 4870, Australia
Diletta Calibeo: School of Architecture and Built Environment, Faculty of Engineering, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
Mark Limb: School of Architecture and Built Environment, Faculty of Engineering, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
Margaret Gooch: School of Architecture and Built Environment, Faculty of Engineering, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
Rachel Eberhard: Eberhard Consulting, Fairfield Gardens, Brisbane, QLD 4103, Australia
Hurriyet Babacan: The Cairns Institute, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD 4870, Australia
Jennifer McHugh: The Cairns Institute, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD 4870, Australia
Umberto Baresi: School of Architecture and Built Environment, Faculty of Engineering, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 18, 1-20

Abstract: The Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan (Reef 2050 Plan) was crafted to protect, manage and enhance the resilience of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef (GBR). It explicitly recognises that strengthening governance is key to achieving its targeted outcomes. To date, however, the lack of evaluation of the impact of GBR governance (including many complex policies, programmes and plans) under the Reef 2050 Plan has hindered its adaption. This paper presents a first benchmark of the health of the governance system associated with the Reef 2050 Plan. A novel analytical framework was built to do this. It was populated through the gathering of multiple lines of evidence, including global theory and evaluation practice and case studies and primary data from interviews and workshops with Traditional Owners, experts across government, industry, non-government organisations and other governance systems experts. Our assessment has found the health of governance system to be emergent to maturing, yet strong by global standards. Strengths include robust global engagement, the integrative nature of the Reef 2050 Plan, crisis response systems and GBR Marine Park management. Weaknesses include the increased need for (i) power sharing with Traditional Owners; (ii) rebuilding governmental trust with the farming and fishing sectors; (iii) more contemporary spatial planning for GBR and catchment resilience; and (iv) greater subsidiarity to deliver government programmes. In conclusions, we strongly recommend that regular benchmarking and informed refinement of Reef 2050 Plan governance arrangements would mature the system toward better outcomes.

Keywords: Great Barrier Reef; governance; governance system; Reef 2050 Plan; framework; health; management; monitoring; knowledge (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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