- Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities
-
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.[1]
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.[1]
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.[1]
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
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;
- 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[1]
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.[2][3]
Notes
- ^ a b c d http://www.environment.gov.au/about/index.html%7Cpublisher=Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts|accessdate= 25 March 2010
- ^ http://www.dotars.gov.au/territories/norfolk_island/index.aspx
- ^ http://www.dotars.gov.au/territories/xmas_island/index.aspx
See also
External links
- Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities website
- History of Australian Government Environment Ministers
- australia.gov.au
- Australian Environment Departments
Departments of the Australian Government Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry · Attorney-General's · Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy · Climate Change and Energy Efficiency · Defence · Education, Employment and Workplace Relations · Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs · Finance and Deregulation · Foreign Affairs and Trade · Health and Ageing · Human Services · Immigration and Citizenship · Infrastructure and Transport · Innovation, Industry, Science and Research · Prime Minister and Cabinet · Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government · Resources, Energy and Tourism · Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities · Treasury · Veterans' AffairsCategories:- Government departments of Australia
- Conservation in Australia
- Environment of Australia
- Environment ministries
- Water ministries
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.