Advisory bodies

Working together with community, industry, science and Traditional Owners is critical to the success of the Reef 2050 Plan to protect and improve the Reef.

An Independent Expert Panel and a Reef 2050 Advisory Committee have been established to advise the Australian and Queensland governments on implementation and review of the Reef 2050 Plan.

Reef 2050 Plan Independent Expert Panel

The Reef 2050 Plan Independent Expert Panel provides scientific and expert advice related to the Great Barrier Reef, including support for the implementation and review of the Reef 2050 Plan, Reef 2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan and other matters, as requested. The Panel also advises the Australian Government Minister for the Environment on funding priorities for the Reef Trust.

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Communiqué

Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 1-2 June 2023 (PDF - 247 KB)
Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 1-2 June 2023 (DOCX - 916 KB)

Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 15 November 2022 (PDF - 229 KB)
Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 15 November 2022 (DOCX - 921 KB)

Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 29 July 2022 (PDF - 225 KB)
Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 29 July 2022 (DOCX - 912 KB)

Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 28 February 2022 (PDF - 242 KB)
Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 28 February 2022 (DOCX - 916 KB)

Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 19 November 2021 (PDF - 185 KB)
Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 19 November 2021 (DOCX - 912 KB)

Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 25 August 2021 (PDF - 244.48 KB)
Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 25 August 2021 (DOCX - 911.91 KB)

Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 16 April 2021 (PDF - 87.29 KB)
Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 16 April 2021 (DOCX - 908.46 KB)

Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 18 November 2020 (PDF - 83.8 KB)
Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 18 November 2020 (DOCX - 907.31 KB)

Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 19 May 2020 (PDF - 81.89 KB)
Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 19 May 2020 (DOCX - 895.92 KB)

Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 13 November 2019 (PDF - 226.29 KB)
Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 13 November 2019 (DOCX - 897.94 KB)

Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 13 August 2019 (PDF - 194.08 KB)
Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 13 August 2019 (DOCX - 906.15 KB)

Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 9 May 2019 (PDF - 294.68 KB)
Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 9 May 2019 (DOCX - 899.35 KB)

Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 28 February 2019 (PDF - 295.6 KB)
Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 28 February 2019 (DOCX - 896.22 KB)

Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 5-6 November 2018 (PDF - 280.63 KB)
Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 5-6 November 2018 (DOCX - 896.85 KB)

Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 25 July 2018 (PDF - 178.22 KB)
Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 25 July 2018 (DOCX - 896.25 KB)

Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 14 February 2018 (PDF - 283.86 KB) ​
Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 14 February 2018 (DOC - 930 KB) ​

Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 24 October 2017 (PDF - 111.57 KB) ​
Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 24 October 2017 (DOCX - 897.75 KB) ​

Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 1 August 2017 (PDF - 278.53 KB)
Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 1 August 2017 (DOCX - 896.29 KB) ​

Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 5 May 2017 (PDF - 294.77 KB)
Independent Expert Panel - Communique 5 May 2017 (DOC - 923 KB) ​ ​

Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 28 March 2017 (PDF - 293.98 KB) ​
Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 28 March 2017 (DOCX - 895.19 KB) ​

Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 18 October 2016 (PDF - 287.78 KB)
Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 18 October 2016 (DOCX - 898.09 KB) ​

Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 2 August 2016 (PDF - 268.32 KB) ​
Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 2 August 2016 (DOCX - 895.18 KB) ​

Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 5 April 2016 (PDF - 117.28 KB)
Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 5 April 2016 (DOCX - 910.5 KB) ​

Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 29 October 2015 (PDF - 266.79 KB)
Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 29 October 2015 (DOCX - 910.87 KB) ​

Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 10 August 2015 (PDF - 50.9 KB)
Independent Expert Panel - Communiqué 10 August 2015 (DOCX - 38.49 KB) 

Minutes

Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 15 November 2022 (PDF 380 KB)
Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 15 November 2022 (DOCX 945 KB)

Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 29 July 2022 (PDF - 417 KB)
Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 29 July 2022 (DOCX - 945 KB)

Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 28 February 2022 (PDF - 408 KB)
Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 28 February 2022 (DOCX - 945 KB)

Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 19 November 2021 (PDF - 348 KB)
Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 19 November 2021 (DOCX - 941 KB)

Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 25 August 2021 (PDF - 430 KB)
Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 25 August 2021 (DOCX - 946 KB)

Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 16 April 2021 (PDF - 322.25 KB)
Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 16 April 2021 (DOCX - 938.09 KB)

Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 18 November 2020 (PDF - 259.49 KB)
Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 18 November 2020 (DOCX - 926.05 KB)

Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 19 May 2020 (PDF - 255.56 KB)
Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 19 May 2020 (DOCX - 243.38 KB)

Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 13 November 2019 (PDF - 153.05 KB)
Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 13 November 2019 (DOCX - 240.63 KB)

Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 13 August 2019 (PDF - 1.21 MB)
Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 13 August 2019 (DOCX - 1.59 MB)

Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 9 May 2019 (PDF - 265.58 KB)
Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 9 May 2019 (DOCX - 975.91 KB)

Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 28 February 2019 (PDF - 390.67 KB)
Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 28 February 2019 (DOCX - 918.38 KB)

Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 5-6 November 2018 (PDF - 482.71 KB)
Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 5-6 November 2018 (DOCX - 915.92 KB)

Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 25 July 2018 (PDF - 348.59 KB)
Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 25 July 2018 (DOC - 980.5 KB)

Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 14 February 2018 (PDF - 235.28 KB)
Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 14 February 2018 (DOC - 990.5 KB)

Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 24 October 2017 (PDF - 396.78 KB) ​
Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 24 October 2017 (DOC - 974 KB) ​

Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 1 August 2017 (PDF - 162.85 KB)
Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 1 August 2017 (DOC - 964.5 KB) ​

Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 5 May 2017 (PDF - 382.32 KB)
Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 5 May 2017 (DOC - 948.5 KB) ​

Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 28 March 2017 (PDF - 337.68 KB) ​
Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 28 March 2017 (DOC - 960 KB) ​

Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 18 October 2016 (PDF - 440.7 KB) ​
Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 18 October 2016 (DOC - 970 KB) ​

Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 2 August 2016 (PDF - 395.63 KB)
Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 2 August 2016 (DOC - 1.02 MB) ​

Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 5 April 2016 (PDF - 466.11 KB)
Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 5 April 2016 (DOC - 1003 KB) ​

Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 29 October 2015 (PDF - 413.5 KB) ​
Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 29 October 2015 (DOC - 155.5 KB) ​

Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 10 August 2015 (PDF - 349.12 KB) ​
Independent Expert Panel - Minutes 10 August 2015 (DOC - 137 KB) 

Publications

IEP Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease Advice (PDF - 872 KB)
IEP Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease Advice (DOCX - 249 KB)

Advice on climate change (PDF - 274 KB)
Advice on climate change (DOCX - 313 KB)

Letter to Ministers (PDF - 250 KB)
Letter to Ministers (DOCX - 184 KB)

Advice on coral composition and reassembly (PDF - 309.45 KB)
Advice on coral composition and reassembly (DOCX - 105.26 KB)

Advice – the Reef is not one homogeneous entity (PDF - 234.38 KB)
Advice – the Reef is not one homogeneous entity (DOCX - 43.7 KB)

Advice to the Great Barrier Reef Ministerial Forum on coral bleaching, May 2020 (PDF - 138 KB)
Advice to the Great Barrier Reef Ministerial Forum on coral bleaching, May 2020 (DOCX - 25.4 KB)

Expression of support for Reef science (PDF - 959.73 KB)
Expression of support for Reef science (DOCX - 897.92 KB)

Advice on responding to mass coral bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef (PDF - 274.25 KB) ​
Advice on responding to mass coral bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef (DOCX - 544.6 KB) ​

Advice on coral bleaching and climate change (PDF - 584.47 KB) ​
Advice on coral bleaching and climate change (DOCX - 248 KB) ​ ​

Resilience Definition (PDF - 165.53 KB)
Resilience Definition (DOCX - 17.8 KB)

Panel members

  • Dr Russell Reichelt AO FTSE FAICD (Interim Chair)
    Environmental science and sustainable use
  • Dr Richard Brinkman
    Research Program Director
    Sustainable Coastal Ecosystems and Industries in Tropical Australia, Australian Institute of Marine Science
  • Professor Damien Burrows
    Director of TropWATER
    James Cook University
  • Professor Terry Hughes
    The Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies
    James Cook University
  • Professor Catherine Lovelock
    School of Biological Sciences
    The University of Queensland
  • Professor Helene Marsh AO FAA FTSE
    Emeritus Professor
    James Cook University
  • Adjunct Associate Professor Stephan Schnierer
    Southern Cross University
    University of Canberra
  • Ms Jane Waterhouse
    Senior Partner, C2O Consulting
    Senior Research Officer, TropWATER, James Cook University
  • Dr Stuart Whitten
    Institutional and Environmental Economist
    CSIRO Environment
  • Professor Matthew England
    Scientia Professor
    Climate Change Research Centre
    University of New South Wales
  • Dr Rebecca Bartley
    Research Scientist
    CSIRO Environment
  • Dr Mitchell Gibbs
    School of Geosciences
    University of Sydney
  • Professor Tiffany Morrison
    The Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies
    James Cook University
    University of Melbourne

Terms of reference

Reef 2050 Independent Expert Panel Terms of Reference (PDF 168 KB)
Reef 2050 Independent Expert Panel Terms of Reference (DOCX 40KB) 

Reef 2050 Advisory Committee

The Reef 2050 Advisory Committee meets regularly to provide strategic advice on the implementation of Reef 2050 actions, stakeholder priorities, and highlight any emerging cross sectoral issues that need to be addressed.

The inaugural Chairman is the Honourable Penelope Wensley AC, former Governor of Queensland and former Australian Ambassador for the Environment.

Communiqué

Advisory Committee - Communiqué 19 July 2023 (PDF - 263 KB)
Advisory Committee - Communiqué 19 July 2023 (DOCX - 1.20 MB)

Advisory Committee - Communiqué 9 March 2023 (PDF - 321 KB)
Advisory Committee - Communiqué 9 March 2023 (DOCX - 1.02 MB)

Advisory Committee - Communiqué 16 November 2022 (PDF - 232 KB)
Advisory Committee - Communiqué 16 November 2022 (DOCX - 909 KB)

Advisory Committee - Communiqué 16 August 2022 (PDF - 228 KB)
Advisory Committee - Communiqué 16 August 2022 (DOCX - 907 KB)

Advisory Committee - Communiqué 3 February 2022 (PDF - 228 KB)
Advisory Committee - Communiqué 3 February 2022 (DOCX - 909 KB)

Advisory Committee - Communiqué 11 November 2021 (PDF - 220 KB)
Advisory Committee - Communiqué 11 November 2021 (DOCX - 909 KB)

Advisory Committee - Communiqué 10 August 2021 (PDF - 244.81 KB)
Advisory Committee - Communiqué 10 August 2021 (DOCX - 906.27 KB)

Advisory Committee - Communiqué 15 April 2021 (PDF - 248.88 KB)
Advisory Committee - Communiqué 15 April 2021 (DOCX - 1.7 MB)

Advisory Committee - Communiqué 23 November 2020 (PDF - 390.96 KB)
Advisory Committee - Communiqué 23 November 2020 (DOCX - 904.13 KB)

Advisory Committee - Communiqué 26 May 2020 (PDF - 393.32 KB)
Advisory Committee - Communiqué 26 May 2020 (DOCX - 893.46 KB)

Advisory Committee - Communiqué 12 November 2019 (PDF - 376.98 KB)
Advisory Committee - Communiqué 12 November 2019 (DOCX - 896.16 KB)

Advisory Committee - Communiqué 6-7 August 2019 (PDF - 503.63 KB)
Advisory Committee - Communiqué 6-7 August 2019 (DOCX - 898.54 KB)

Advisory Committee - Communiqué 1 March 2019 (PDF - 393.37 KB)
Advisory Committee - Communiqué 1 March 2019 (DOCX - 896.88 KB)

Advisory Committee - Communiqué 9 October 2018 (PDF - 346.16 KB)
Advisory Committee - Communiqué 9 October 2018 (DOCX - 896.56 KB)

Advisory Committee - Communiqué 24 July 2018 (PDF - 230.06 KB)
Advisory Committee - Communiqué 24 July 2018 (DOCX - 894 KB)

Advisory Committee - Communiqué 13 February 2018 (PDF - 331.98 KB)
Advisory Committee - Communiqué 13 February 2018 (DOCX - 893.97 KB) ​

Advisory Committee - Communiqué 31 October 2017 (PDF - 235.35 KB)
Advisory Committee - Communiqué 31 October 2017 (DOCX - 894.28 KB) ​

Advisory Committee - Communiqué 2 August 2017 (PDF - 347.75 KB)
Advisory Committee - Communiqué 2 August 2017 (DOCX - 893.56 KB) ​

Advisory Committee - Communiqué 19 May 2017 (PDF - 330.66 KB) ​​
Advisory Committee - Communiqué 19 May 2017 (DOCX - 892.26 KB)

Advisory Committee - Communiqué 9 March 2017 (PDF - 345.9 KB)
Advisory Committee - Communiqué 9 March 2017 (DOCX - 894.07 KB) ​

Advisory Committee - Communiqué 11 October 2016 (PDF - 262.59 KB)
Advisory Committee - Communiqué 11 October 2016 (DOCX - 895.11 KB) ​

Advisory Committee - Communiqué 3 August 2016 (PDF - 258.81 KB)
Advisory Committee - Communiqué 3 August 2016 (DOCX - 897.06 KB) ​

Advisory Committee - Communiqué 9 June 2016 (PDF - 341.79 KB)
Advisory Committee - Communiqué 9 June 2016 (DOCX - 898.62 KB) ​

Advisory Committee - Communiqué 14 April 2016 (PDF - 261 KB)
Advisory Committee - Communiqué 14 April 2016 (DOCX - 894.61 KB) ​

Advisory Committee - Communiqué 15 October 2015 (PDF - 260.62 KB)
Advisory Committee - Communiqué 15 October 2015 (DOCX - 891.34 KB) ​

Advisory Committee - Communiqué 14 August 2015 (PDF - 255.64 KB)
Advisory Committee - Communiqué 14 August 2015 (DOCX - 892.97 KB) 

Publications

Advice on Responding to Mass Coral Bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef (PDF - 195.19 KB)
Advice on Responding to Mass Coral Bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef (DOCX - 31.43 KB) 

Committee membership

The inaugural Chairman is the Honourable Penelope Wensley. Membership will include senior representatives nominated from the following organisations:

  • Traditional owner groups in the Great Barrier Reef
  • AgForce
  • Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators (AMPTO)
  • Australian Committee of IUCN (ACIUCN)
  • Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS)
  • CANEGROWERS
  • CAREFISH
  • CSIRO
  • Great Barrier Reef Foundation (GBRF)
  • Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority Local Marine Advisory Committees
  • Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ)
  • NRM Regions Qld
  • Queensland Conservation Council (QCC)
  • Queensland Farmers' Federation (QFF)
  • Queensland Ports Association
  • Queensland Resources Council (QRC)
  • Queensland Seafood Industry Association (QSIA)
  • World Wildlife Fund (WWF-Australia)

Terms of reference

Reef 2050 Advisory Committee Terms of Reference (PDF 169KB)
Reef 2050 Advisory Committee Terms of Reference (DOCX 40KB)