Understanding of context:
Context was the strongest element in the management effectiveness framework. Managers generally had a good and improving understanding of the values relevant to each management topic (although this was weakest for heritage and coastal development), national and international influences, and key stakeholders. While condition and trends for each topic were generally known, threats and their impacts were less well known. Specifically, the cumulative and consequential impacts of threats were generally poorly understood across most management topics.

Planning:
Planning performed well in relation to overall management effectiveness with no topics being graded as ineffective or partly effective. Reef planning is spatially complex, spanning marine and terrestrial environments and requires effective coordination of actors and systems. Management topic-specific legislation, plans and policies apply across multiple spatial scales (international to local) and sectors. The Reef 2050 Plan is the overarching plan addressing most of the key elements required for effective Reef management and the Intergovernmental Agreement sets the framework for joint coordination of planning and management. Strengths of planning include certainty around where activity can occur (Zoning Plan), setting clear actions and planning consistency across jurisdictions (Reef 2050 Plan).

Financial, staffing and information inputs:
Inputs for most topics were graded as mostly effective, with four topics rated as partially effective (climate change, coastal development, heritage and community benefits). Funding in general, has increased across most topics with improvements in the funding for water quality improvement, Reef management and conservation, Reef restoration and adaptation, and strengthening partnerships and stewardship. Innovative funding strategies are being developed (for example the Reef Recovery 2030 fundraising campaign by the Reef Trust Partnership). The adequacy of human resourcing within all managing organisations was the weakest of all topics and was partly impacted by COVID-19. Data inputs overall are effective, although there are gaps in Indigenous heritage and historic heritage information. Provisioning of adequate data sharing platforms was also identified as a key deficit particularly for research efforts. Non-government involvement was also mostly effective reflecting the strong level of community engagement and interest in the Reef.

Management systems, processes and governance:
Processes for many topics remained stable since 2019 but there were declining trends for community benefits, coastal development, land-based runoff and research. Strengths were identified in relation to engagement with stakeholders and the integration of biophysical and socio-economic information into decision-making. Weaknesses relate to the integration of Indigenous and heritage information, consideration of cumulative and consequential impacts, and limitations in governance systems (such as gaps in effective engagement of local governments and other key actors, coordination among jurisdictions and siloed approaches). Declines in governance effectiveness reflect the scale and complexity of matters that need to be addressed as part of Reef management and point to the need for more substantial institutional redesign or rethinking of principles and values underpinning governance goals.

Delivery of outputs:
Outputs remained stable for the majority of topics. Upward grade changes, such as that for climate change, reflect the improvement in the planning system. Declines across research, traditional use of marine resources and land-based runoff are a result of resourcing issues during the period of COVID-19 restrictions, which impacted the outputs that could be delivered. While the delivery of outputs was generally strong, especially in terms of delivering products and related actions, there were weaknesses in achievement of results against objectives. This in part reflects the absence of clear objectives for some management topics or misalignment of outputs with expected objectives.

Achievement of outcomes:
The achievement of outcomes was the weakest of all elements of the management effectiveness framework. However, results were highly variable across the management topics with most direct use areas performing well but external factors and overall values performing poorly. The outcomes for five topics were graded as partially effective for biodiversity, coastal development, fishing, heritage and land-based runoff. The management outcomes for climate change were graded as ineffective. The relatively poor achievement of outcomes partly reflects a range of external influences on the Reef (such as bleaching events and climate change stressors) but also reflects an increasing understanding of the extent of existing impacts. Outcomes for climate change and biodiversity were poor across a number of indicators, including the protection of values, reduction of threats, and environmental, economic and social sustainability. Poor outcomes for heritage reflect the poor and deteriorating condition of many Indigenous heritage values and many historic heritage sites, especially underwater cultural heritage. However, there was evidence of effective partnerships across most of the management topics.