Ben Klaassen
Deputy Director-General, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and Partnerships, Department of Environment and Science
Biography
Ben leads the management of Queensland’s parks and forests, including partnerships with First Nations People to protect cultural values, support sustainable use, and provide eco-tourism opportunities. He is also responsible for protecting threatened species, managing interaction between people and protected species, overseeing World Heritage management of selected sites, and the Queensland Indigenous Land and Sea Ranger Program. Ben also delivers the Great Barrier Reef Joint Field Management Program, in partnership with the Australian Government.
Ben’s extensive experience in Queensland’s public service has included senior positions within the Department of Local Government and Planning and the Department of Innovation and Information Economy, Sport and Recreation Queensland, as well as roles in Queensland Health and the Department of Public Works.
Ben holds a Bachelor of Commerce and a Graduate Certificate in Management, and is a fellow of CPA Australia.