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The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) has responsibility for managing one of Australia’s greatest natural resources, The Great Barrier Reef.

GBRMPA manages impacts on the reef through the issue and enforcement of permits.  Each permit contains a complex set of conditions, permissions and visitation restrictions.  These restrictions are dependent upon the nature and location of the proposed activities, Plans of Management and vehicles to be used.  A daily challenge to GBRMPA is to identify all the impacts of these activities and apply, in a consistent manner, the necessary conditions and restrictions to protect the Reef.

In early 2000, Spatial Vision won a contract to develop a system that would enable GBRMPA to process permit applications in a consistent, accurate and efficient manner.  This project sheet focuses on the spatial component of the PEMS application (a separate project sheet details the spatial component).

Spatial Vision developed the web based work flow system for GBRMPA using ColdFusion accessing an Oracle database.  Each officer has an electronic permit portfolio that contains all of the permit applications that they must action.  The work flow system leads operators through a series of complex transactions requesting input and generating standard outputs at key points in the process.  The work flow also captures attribute data, some of which is then used to automatically determine the appropriate requirements and conditions for the permit.  The work flow generates customised letters and provides for the loading of associated electronic documentation.  This has the benefit of providing access to permit details on-line anywhere in the State, dramatically reducing the need to move hard copy files from office to office.

Time based actions (such as reminder letters) are also managed by PEMS, automatically updating permit status and notifying permit officers where action is required.

The final output of PEMS in permit applications is a high quality permit document for the customer.  Pre-drafted conditions are used to automatically generate a standardised permit reflecting the particular circumstances of the application, without the need for staff input.