Girish Mahajan (Editor)

Department of Agriculture and Water Resources

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Jurisdiction
  
Australia

Formed
  
21 September 2015 (2015-09-21)

Preceding Department
  
Department of Agriculture

Ministers responsible
  
Barnaby Joyce,Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture and Water ResourcesAnne Ruston,Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Water ResourcesLuke Hartsuyker,Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister

Department executive
  
Daryl Quinlivan, Secretary (2015‑)

Child agencies
  
Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resources Economics and SciencesAustralian Fisheries Management AuthorityAgricultural Minister's ForumAgricultural Industry Advisory CouncilAgricultural Senior Officials CommitteeAustralian Grape and Wine AuthorityAustralian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines AuthorityCotton Research and Development CorporationFisheries Research and Development CorporationForest and Wood Products CouncilGrains Research and Development CorporationIndonesia-Australian Partnership on Food Security in the Red Meat and Cattle SectorMurray-Darling Basin AuthorityNational Landcare Advisory CommitteeNational Rural Advisory CouncilRural Industries Research and Development Corporation

The Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Water Resources is responsible for developing and implementing policies and programmes that contribute to strengthening Australia's primary industries, delivering better returns for primary producers at the farm gate, protecting Australia from animal and plant pests and diseases, and improving the health of Australia's rivers and freshwater ecosystems.

Contents

The Secretary of the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, Daryl Quinlivan, is responsible to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, the Hon Barnaby Joyce MP. The Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources is Senator the Hon Anne Ruston. The Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister is the Hon Luke Hartsuyker MP.

Overview

The Department of Agriculture and Water Resources vision is to help drive a stronger Australian economy by building a more profitable, more resilient and more sustainable agriculture sector, and by supporting the sustainable and productive management and use of rivers and water resources.

The department's annual reports provide information about its operations and performances in each financial year, and reviews its progress towards it objectives.

The department's Corporate Plan sets outs the department's eight strategic objectives. Those identified in the 2016–17 plan include:

  • building successful primary industries
  • supporting agricultural communities
  • expanding agricultural, fisheries and forestry exports
  • sustaining natural resources for longer-term productive primary industries
  • improving water use efficiency and the health of rivers, communities, environmental assets and production systems
  • managing biosecurity and imported food risk
  • building an efficient and capable department
  • being a best practice regulator.

    • The department strives to build strong relationships and work with governments, industry, importers and exporters, natural resource managers, primary producers, consumers, research and development organisations, rural communities and travellers.

    The department employs approximately 4000 full-time equivalent staff, including accountants, animal and meat inspectors, biosecurity officers, economists, information and communication technology (ICT) staff, policy officers, program administrators, researchers, scientists, survey staff and veterinary officers.

    The corporate structure is organised into divisions to support work across a broad range of agricultural, biosecurity, fisheries and forestry and water management activities.

    The department is located in regional centres, rural communities and cities throughout Australia. Around 58 per cent of its Australian-based employees work outside Canberra, in capital cities and regional offices, major airports, mail centres, shipping ports, laboratories and abattoirs.

    Globally, the department works in Bangkok, Beijing, Brussels, Dubai, Jakarta, New Delhi, Rome, Seoul, Tokyo and Washington, to maintain relationships with Australia's trading partners and international organisations.

    History

    The department was formed by way of an administrative order issued on 21 September 2015, replacing the previous Department of Agriculture, following the appointment of Malcolm Turnbull as Prime Minister of Australia.

    Operational activities

    The department provides specialised policy advice to the Australian Government and delivers a range of policies and programs to:

  • provide evidence-based support for government and industry decision-making
  • help primary producers to gain and maintain access to overseas markets, including administration of export quotas
  • support primary producers and rural communities to be productive and sustainable through grants and other funding support, including drought assistance for farm families and businesses
  • manage Commonwealth fisheries in consultation and develop national approaches to sustainable management of the fishing industry
  • represent Australia’s interests overseas to promote responsible fishing practices and to combat illegal fishing.
  • foster and enable productive, profitable, internationally competitive and sustainable Australian forest and forest products industries
  • help primary industries and producers to adapt and respond to climate change
  • achieve social, economic and environmental benefits through water policy and resource management.

    • The department takes a risk-based approach to safeguarding Australia against animal and plant pests and diseases and helps importers and exporters to meet regulatory requirements by:

  • assessing and inspecting imported animal and plant products and machinery for diseases, pests and weeds
  • setting conditions for imported animal and plant products
  • issuing import and export permits and undertaking certification of goods
  • ensuring compliance through audit, investigation and assurance activities
  • accrediting third parties to undertake activities on its behalf
  • reforming regulation and bureaucracy

    • The department manages, coordinates and prepares for response actions to national priority pests, diseases and weeds, including:

  • appropriately trained personnel, procedures and practices
  • preparation to act rapidly in response to an outbreak
  • plans and coordinated response activities with other jurisdictions and industries
  • preparation to manage a specific incident or offshore incursion.

    • The department’s work is grounded in research and science, providing information and analysis on agriculture, fisheries and forestry industries, including:

  • commodity forecasts
  • economic analysis and modelling
  • data and statistics on issues affecting Australian farmers and rural communities
  • biophysical science for biosecurity risk assessment, forecasting and diagnostics.

    • The department collects and audits primary industry levies for marketing, research and development, animal and plant health, residue testing and emergency response.

    The department works in partnership and collaboration with its clients, stakeholders, governments and the community by engaging with those who have a vested interest in the way it does business. This engagement consists of:

  • public consultations on policy, program and operational proposals
  • industry forums
  • international delegations and international forums
  • work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities through the Northern Australia Quarantine Strategy.

    • References

    Department of Agriculture and Water Resources Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


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