[1][3] As at November 2023, the office is held by Ronald 'Ricky' Archer, former CEO of North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance Ltd (NAILSMA).
Ricky Archer is a Djungan man and made history by becoming the first Indigenous person to hold the position.
The Director position leads conservation efforts, the recovery and management of some of Australia's most prized national parks in conjunction with Traditional Owners.
The Director of National Parks’ responsibilities under the EPBC Act include:[4] The Director of National Parks’ portfolio consists of the following groups of protected areas:[2]: ii, iv The management of the Heard Island and McDonald Islands Commonwealth Marine Reserve has been delegated by the Director of National Parks to the Australian Antarctic Division, another agency within the Department of the Environment and Energy.
[6] Parks Australia (formerly the Australian Nature Conservation Agency and the Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service) is a division of the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water since 2022, previously the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment [2020].