Director's Report

During its second year, the Centre has continued to develop its issues-driven R&D base and to extend its training and extension activities.

The overall strategy, now formally adopted through the Centre's Strategic Plan, has been augmented to include an improvement in the identification of issues and establishment of research activities. In year two, we have confirmed the key issues with stakeholders, consolidated the R&D activities and put major effort into "making the results useful". Our key initiative for next year is to link outputs and skills more closely to policy.

The thrust of these developments at individual and corporate level, has been supported with enthusiasm tempered by reality. Ownership in the Centre has been building, particularly as a result of the communication strategy put in place through this year. However, there remains some way to go to reach further into industry and wider corporate awareness. Overall, the support and contribution by Centre parties remains high. Industry support continues to climb, with the tourism operators providing more than twice their expected in-kind contribution and maintaining a high involvement in the planning and operational processes of the Centre. Strong links are being developed with the fishing, shipping and engineering sectors in the GBR.

Interest groups, in addition to industry and Reef managers are involved in interactive development of Centre tasks, especially the people-environment studies. Here the Centre builds on associations established by GBRMPA in developing the GBR World Heritage Area 25 Year Strategic Plan, acting as a major catalyst for discussion, information transfer and consultative actions over the shape and implementation of research activities.

This year has seen a significant stream of R&D outcomes flowing from the Centre's research. Finding and developing ways to communicate this information to the array of stakeholders continues to be a challenge. Good results have been gained from the strategic approach of the Extension Program using media, popular and industry press articles, discussion and seminar presentations to interest groups and other users. Formal publications, conferences and advisory meetings provide for review and quality control. Communication and "making the results useful" remain a major driving-force for the Centre.

Major achievements for the Centre include:

Official opening of the Centre Secretariat at James Cook University campus;
DPI and Daikyo (North Queensland) Pty Ltd opening of the new Monkman Research Laboratory at Green Island;
Operation of 61 R&D tasks to address 64 issues identified by Reef industries and managers, and confirmed by a collaborative priority setting process;
Breaking new ground with approaches to multidisciplinary team-building in social sciences, engineering and biological sciences;
Collaboratively involving 212 people in Centre activities, including researchers and 46 postgraduate students;
Enhanced national collaboration with 23 universities, research agencies, industry groups and government departments, and development of international links through Australian consortia with nine research and government agencies and NGO's;
Increasingly high Reef industry involvement in planning, logistics and R&D activities;
Implementation of a successful communication, training and extension strategy to make the Centre's results useful to stakeholders.

Overall, the Centre continues to build and achieve. We need to build further ownership in the Centre by users. Issues relating to Commonwealth funding provisions and taxation of postgraduate student stipends require resolution through the CRC Program secretariat. Beyond these matters, the collective enterprise of the Centre will seek further ways to achieve uptake of R&D results and to enhance collaboration by stakeholders. Establishment of closer links with policy-makers and maintaining the in-Centre dynamics to identify and manage issues-driven R&D, will remain as principal goals for our next year. The Centre products and skills, developed by sustained and broadened responsibilities by industry operators, managers and scientists, will ensure a firm foundation for effective Reef management and wise use.

Chris Crossland
Director

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