Portfolio and department overview

Portfolio overview

The Department of the Environment’s role is to advise on and implement environment policy to support the Government in achieving a healthy environment, strong economy and thriving community now and for the future.

During 2014–15, the portfolio comprised:

  • Department of the Environment (Figure 3)
  • Bureau of Meteorology
  • Climate Change Authority
  • Clean Energy Regulator
  • Director of National Parks
  • Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
  • Low Carbon Australia Limited
  • Supervising Scientist
  • Murray–Darling Basin Authority
  • National Water Commission
  • Sydney Harbour Federation Trust.

Links to the websites of portfolio agencies are available at:

Low Carbon Australia Limited was wound up by the Australian Government, as advised in the Environment Portfolio Budget Statement 2014–15. This accorded with the recommended abolition of the company in the report of the National Commission of Audit, Towards responsible government, 2014. On 1 August 2014, the Minister for the Environment, the Hon Greg Hunt MP, as the representative of the sole member of the company, wrote to the board directing them to recommence and expeditiously complete winding up (halted in 2013). During 2013–14, all programme delivery activities of the company had ceased after the company’s operations were integrated into the Clean Energy Finance Corporation. The company was deregistered as of 17 December 2014. The National Carbon Offset Standard Carbon Neutral Program continues to be administered by the Department following its transfer from the company to the then Department of Innovation, Industry, Science, Research and Tertiary Education on 1 June 2013.

The National Water Commission closed, following passage on 26 May 2015 through both Houses of Parliament of the National Water Commission (Abolition) Bill 2014. Responsibility for assessment roles in relation to the National Partnership Agreement on Implementing Water Reform in the Murray–Darling Basin and the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Regulations 2011 transferred to the Department of the Environment. Other functions transferred to the Productivity Commission, the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences and the Bureau of Meteorology.

Ministers

The Minister and Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment portfolio at 30 June 2015 were:

  • the Hon Greg Hunt MP, Minister for the Environment
  • the Hon Bob Baldwin MP, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment.

Departmental overview

The Department continued to implement the recommendations of the Internal Strategic Review 2014, including transition to a more effective three-group organisational structure: Environment Protection, Climate Change and Water, and Office of Science and Economics. The Office of Environmental Science and Economics provides support to other areas of the Department in multidisciplinary analytics and best practice policy development and implementation and risk management.

At 30 June 2015, the Department’s performance reporting framework comprised four outcomes in addition to a corporate outcome. Table 5 describes each outcome together with its related programmes and the divisions responsible for their delivery. Five chapters report the performance against the key performance indicators (KPIs) and deliverables set out in the Portfolio Budget Statements 2014–15 and Portfolio Additional Estimates Statements 2014–15.

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Figure 3: Department of the Environment organisational structure as at 30 June 2015

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Table 5: Outcome and programme structure

Outcomes / Programmes / Responsible divisions
Outcome 1: clean land
Conserve, protect and sustainably manage Australia’s biodiversity, ecosystems, environment and heritage through research, information management, supporting natural resource management, establishing and managing Commonwealth protected areas, and reducing and regulating the use of pollutants and hazardous substances. / Programme 1.1: Sustainable Management of Natural Resources and the Environment. / Biodiversity Conservation Division.
Programme 1.2: Environmental Information and Research. / Policy Analysis and Implementation Division, Parks Australia, Science Division, Wildlife Heritage and Marine Division.
Programme 1.3: Carbon Pollution Reduction—Land Sector Initiatives. / Biodiversity Conservation Division.
Programme 1.4: Conservation of Australia’s Heritage and the Environment. / Biodiversity Conservation Division, Wildlife Heritage and Marine Division.
Programme 1.5: Environmental Regulation. / Environment Assessment and Compliance Division, Policy Analysis and Implementation Division, Science Division.
Programme 1.6: Management of Hazardous Wastes, Substances and Pollutants. / Environment Quality Division.
Outcome 2: clean air
Reduce Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions, adapt to the impacts of climate change and contribute to the negotiation of an effective global solution to climate change, through developing and implementing a national response to climate change. / Programme 2.1: Reducing Australia’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions. / Emissions Reduction Fund Division.
Programme 2.2: Adapting to Climate Change. / Climate Change and Renewable Energy Division, Science Division.
Outcome 3: Antarctica
Advance Australia’s strategic,
scientific, environmental and
economic interests in the Antarctic by protecting, administering and researching the region. / Programme 3.1: Antarctica: Science, Policy and Presence. / Australian Antarctic Division.
Outcome 4: clean water
Improve the health of rivers and freshwater ecosystems and water use efficiency through implementing water reforms, and ensuring enhanced sustainability, efficiency and productivity in the management and use of water resources. / Programme 4.1: Water Reform. / Science Division,
Water Division.
Programme 4.2: Commonwealth Environmental Water. / Commonwealth Environmental Water Office.
Corporate Outcome: organisational effectiveness / Improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our Department. / Corporate Strategies Division, General Counsel,
Policy Analysis and Implementation Division.

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