Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities

Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities
Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities
Agency overview
Formed	14 September 2010
Preceding Agency	Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
Headquarters	John Gorton Building, King Edward Terrace, Parkes ACT 2600, Canberra, Australia
Motto	"to protect and conserve Australia's environment and heritage"
Minister responsible	Hon. Tony Burke, MP
Deputy Ministers responsible	Hon. Don Farrell, Senator, Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and Urban Water; Paul Grimes, Secretary
Website
	www.environment.gov.au/index.html

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, during the term of Prime Minister of Australia Julia Gillard.¹

Mission

The stated aims of the department are 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.¹

Leadership

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 Mr Paul Grimes.¹

Responsibilities

Agencies

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 Meteorology
Director of National Parks
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
National Water Commission
Murray-Darling Basin Authority

Programs

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

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;

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 innovation¹

Environmental protection

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.

Islands administration

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.²³

Notes

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "About the department," DSEWPaC website. Accessed: 14 April 2013.
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External links

[website-1] "About the department," DSEWPaC website. Accessed: 14 April 2013.

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[3] [2]^{dead link}

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Department of the Environment and Heritage Ultimate Study Guide