THE Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area will undergo a joint assessment to ensure future development along Queensland's coastline is well-planned and its values are protected.

The Queensland and Australian governments and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) have signed a new agreement on assessment processes to ensure future sustainable development along the Queensland coastline and protection and management of the Great Barrier Reef.

It follows a request from the World Heritage Committee – in response to development and growth pressures along the Queensland coast – that Australia undertakes a number of initiatives to ensure the long-term protection of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.

The Queensland Government said it would be the most comprehensive and complex strategic assessment ever carried out in Australia and allow for consideration of federal and state environmental planning issues in a single assessment process.

The strategic assessment under the national Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 means that once a program has been endorsed and the types of development or activities allowed to take place have been approved, individual projects do not need any further approval under national environmental law if done in accordance with the approved program.

"Rather than always dealing with one application at a time this allows an assessment of the region as a whole," said Federal Environment Minister, Tony Burke.

"That gives us an opportunity to take into account the cumulative impacts and any indirect impacts such as increased shipping movement.

"In short, it is a better way to protect one of the world's greatest treasures and I'm glad it's started."

Queensland Environment Minister Vicky Darling welcomed the agreement and said it reinforced the value of coastal protection measures already instigated by the Bligh Government to protect the reef and assist with its future management.

"In the last three decades, we have worked tirelessly and delivered landmark reforms to protect the biodiversity of this spectacular part of the world through major initiatives such Wild Rivers legislation, Queensland Coastal Plan, Great Barrier Reef regulations and expanded green zones in marine parks," Ms Darling said.

Ms Darling said the strategic assessment would not only benefit the environment and local communities but also industry through streamlining of government environmental processes.

"This strategic assessment enables us to work hand-in-hand with the Commonwealth Government to ensure development is well-planned and systems are in place to protect the area's World Heritage values," Ms Darling said.

"The assessment will also help answer any questions the UNESCO World Heritage Committee has and we will be discussing the assessment further with the delegation visiting in early March."

GBRMPA Chairman Russell Reichelt said the strategic assessment was an opportunity to take a long-term view of managing the Great Barrier Reef.

"The Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef system in the world and it has the richest diversity… It is up to us to protect this extraordinary place for generations to come," Dr Reichelt said.

The draft Terms of Reference for the strategic assessment are available from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) website at <http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/>. Public comments open until 13 April 2012.