Department of the Environment and Heritage (Australia)
Encyclopedia
The Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (DSEWPaC), formerly the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA), is a department of the Australian federal government
and was established on 14 September 2010.
The stated aims of the department is to achieve the following: protection and conservation of the environment; to ensure that Australia benefits from meteorological and related sciences and services; and to see that Australia's interests in Antarctica are advanced. The Australian Government Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities develops and implements national policy, programs and legislation to protect and conserve Australia's environment and heritage.
The Minister leading the department since September 2010 is the Hon Tony Burke
MP who is the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, Burke takes over the portfolio from Peter Garrett
. Burke is assisted in this portfolio by Senator the Hon Don Farrell
– Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and Urban Water. The Secretary of the department is Ms Robyn Kruk AM.
The Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities and the following executive agencies and statutory authorities form the Australian Government's Population, Communities, Environment and Water, portfolio.
The department manages a number of major programs. The most significant of those dealing with natural resource management come under the umbrella of the Natural Heritage Trust
and the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality. Both the Trust and National Action Plan are administered jointly with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
.
Divisions of the Department include the Australian Antarctic Division
, Supervising Scientist Division, Heritage Division, Parks Australia, Policy and Communications, Australian Wildlife, Sydney Harbour Federation Trust, Australian Land and Coasts plus a number of executive agencies and statutory authorities;
The Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities administers environmental laws, including the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
and a range of other Acts. It is also responsible for Australia's participation in a number of international environmental agreements. The department also administers the Coral Sea Islands
, Heard Island and the McDonald Islands (through the Antarctic Division), and oversees certain policy areas in Norfolk Island
and Christmas Island
.
Politics of Australia
The Politics of Australia take place within the framework of a parliamentary democracy, with electoral procedures appropriate to a two-party system. Australia is governed as a federation and as a constitutional monarchy, with an adversarial legislature based upon the Westminster system...
and was established on 14 September 2010.
The stated aims of the department is to achieve the following: protection and conservation of the environment; to ensure that Australia benefits from meteorological and related sciences and services; and to see that Australia's interests in Antarctica are advanced. The Australian Government Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities develops and implements national policy, programs and legislation to protect and conserve Australia's environment and heritage.
The Minister leading the department since September 2010 is the Hon Tony Burke
Tony Burke
Anthony Stephen 'Tony' Burke is an Australian politician representing the Labor Party, and the current Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities . He first entered public office in 2003 as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council...
MP who is the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, Burke takes over the portfolio from Peter Garrett
Peter Garrett
Peter Robert Garrett, AM, MP , is an Australian musician, environmentalist, activist and politician.Garrett was lead singer of the Australian rock band Midnight Oil from 1973 until its disbanding in 2002...
. Burke is assisted in this portfolio by Senator the Hon Don Farrell
Don Farrell
Donald Edward Farrell is an Australian politician and former trade union leader. He has been a Labor member of the Australian Senate since 1 July 2008, representing the state of South Australia. He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and Urban Water on 14 September 2010...
– Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and Urban Water. The Secretary of the department is Ms Robyn Kruk AM.
The Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities and the following executive agencies and statutory authorities form the Australian Government's Population, Communities, Environment and Water, portfolio.
- Bureau of MeteorologyBureau of MeteorologyThe Bureau of Meteorology is an Executive Agency of the Australian Government responsible for providing weather services to Australia and surrounding areas. It was established in 1906 under the Meteorology Act, and brought together the state meteorological services that existed before then...
- Director of National Parks
- Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
- National Water CommissionNational Water CommissionThe National Water Commission is an independent statutory body within the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities that was established under the National Water Commission Act 2004 to implement the National Water Initiative and reform the broader national water...
- Murray-Darling Basin Authority
The department manages a number of major programs. The most significant of those dealing with natural resource management come under the umbrella of the Natural Heritage Trust
Natural Heritage Trust
The Natural Heritage Trust was set up by the Australian Government in 1997 to help restore and conserve Australia's environment and natural resources....
and the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality. Both the Trust and National Action Plan are administered jointly with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Australia)
The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry is an Australian government department. The Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s role is to develop and implement policies and programs that ensure Australia's agricultural, fisheries, food and forestry industries...
.
Divisions of the Department include the Australian Antarctic Division
Australian Antarctic Division
The Australian Antarctic Division is an agency of the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities . The division undertakes science programs and research projects to contribute to an understanding of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean...
, Supervising Scientist Division, Heritage Division, Parks Australia, Policy and Communications, Australian Wildlife, Sydney Harbour Federation Trust, Australian Land and Coasts plus a number of executive agencies and statutory authorities;
- Administrative Arrangements Order
- Environment protection and conservation of biodiversity
- Air quality
- National fuel quality standards
- Land contamination
- Meteorology
- Administration of the Australian Antarctic Territory, and the Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands
- Natural, built and movable cultural heritage
- Environmental research
- Water policy and resources
- Ionospheric prediction
- Co-ordination of sustainable communities policy
- Population policy
- Housing affordability
- Built environment innovation
The Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities administers environmental laws, including the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 is an Act of the Parliament of Australia that provides a framework for protection of the Australian environment, including its biodiversity and its natural and culturally significant places...
and a range of other Acts. It is also responsible for Australia's participation in a number of international environmental agreements. The department also administers the Coral Sea Islands
Coral Sea Islands
The Coral Sea Islands Territory includes a group of small and mostly uninhabited tropical islands and reefs in the Coral Sea, northeast of Queensland, Australia. The only inhabited island is Willis Island...
, Heard Island and the McDonald Islands (through the Antarctic Division), and oversees certain policy areas in Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island is a small island in the Pacific Ocean located between Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia. The island is part of the Commonwealth of Australia, but it enjoys a large degree of self-governance...
and Christmas Island
Christmas Island
The Territory of Christmas Island is a territory of Australia in the Indian Ocean. It is located northwest of the Western Australian city of Perth, south of the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, and ENE of the Cocos Islands....
.