Dr Simon Banks

Dr Simon Banks is the General Manager of the Reef Protection Branch of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. The Branch’s focus is the protection of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park through management of sustainable-use, policy, planning and regulation, impact assessment and monitoring of user compliance. Simon is leading programs to modernise the Authority’s approach to managing risks to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and transforming the policy, planning and regulatory framework given a changed and changing Reef. Enhancing the Reef Joint Field Management Program is also a priority focus to increase delivery of practical conservation actions, checking for changes in the Marine Park, responding to incidents, welcoming people, and ensuring users understand and are supported to comply with the rules.

Prior to joining the Authority, Simon held several roles as a senior executive in the Commonwealth Department of the Environment with responsibility for environmental assessments and approvals, and management of the use of Commonwealth environmental water in the Murray Darling Basin. Simon’s experience includes working for New Zealand’s Department of Conservation where he was responsible for Marine Protected Areas Policy Implementation, sub-Antarctic marine protection and several protected species programs. Simon has also worked for the Queensland and NSW state governments on marine park policy implementation.