Annual Report 2011-12 - Opening statements
© Director of National Parks, 2012 | ISSN 1443-1238
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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.
Figure 1: Locations of Commonwealth parks and reserves which are the responsibility of the Director of National Parks in 2010-11
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.
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