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 reign of Prime Minister of Australia Julia Gillard.[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.
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.[2][3]