The Great Barrier Reef (the Reef) is the largest tropical reef system in the world, comprising of approximately 3,000 individual reefs and encompassing over 2,000 kilometres of the Queensland coast.

This inquiry sought to identify leading practices in ensuring evidence-based regulation of farm practices that impact water quality outcomes in the Great Barrier Reef.

This report is divided into seven chapters:

• Chapter 1 provides an overview and background of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, key stresses on the Reef, and an overview of the agriculture sector that operates within the Reef's catchment regions.
• Chapter 2 provides details on the governance framework, including overarching plans that guide the management of the Reef.
• Chapter 3 considers the condition of the Reef and the scientific basis for concerns about the impact of water quality on the health of the Reef. This chapter details views about the scientific evidence-base of Reef science and water quality issues.
• Chapter 4 outlines discussions about the peer review process and the replicability of Reef science.
• Chapter 5 examines the agriculture sector's response to the Reef regulations package, their advocacy for the continuation of a voluntary model and opposition in some parts of the sector to the regulation of agricultural practices within the Reef's catchment regions.
• Chapter 6 considers the agricultural sectors' concerns about the barriers to the adoption of best practice.
• Chapter 7 considers the role of collaboration and cooperation between scientists, farmers and governments. This chapter considers the role of citizen science, and the importance of research and development to advance the technologies and farming techniques used within the Reef's catchment regions.