Department of the Environment and Heritage annual report 2004-05
Volume one
Department of the Environment and Heritage, 2005
ISSN 1441 9335
Executive summary (continued)
In this section
Organisation
As at 30 June 2005 the department was made up of 12 divisions.
Senator the Hon Ian Campbell
Minister for the Environment and Heritage
The Hon Greg Hunt MP
Parliamentary Secretary
Changes since the 2004-05 Budget
After the election of 9 October 2004 the government decided to move the Australian Greenhouse Office and the National Oceans Office into the department¹. As a result:
- two divisions (the Industry, Communities and Energy Division and the International, Land and Analysis Division) moved into the department
- the department created the Marine Division, taking the opportunity to bring together marine policy functions from various parts of the department.
Some Indigenous heritage functions were transferred to the department after the Australian Government abolished the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Services agency on 20 June 2004. See section 12.2 Restructuring of the departement's financial statements for further information.
Role and functions
- Advising the Australian Government on its policies for protecting the environment and heritage
- Administering the government’s main laws relating to the environment and heritage, including the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
- Managing the government’s main environment and heritage programmes including the $3 billion Natural Heritage Trust—the Australian Government’s main environmental programme
- Implementing an effective response to climate change
- Representing the Australian Government in international negotiations related to the environment and Antarctica—examples include the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Antarctic Treaty System and the International Whaling Commission.
¹ Both agencies ceased as separate executive agencies under the Public Service Act 1999 on 26 October 2004, and as prescribed agencies under the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 on 3 November 2004.
Before you download
Most publications are available as PDF files. Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view PDF files.
If you are unable to access a publication, please contact us to organise a suitable alternative format.
Key
Links to another web site
Opens a pop-up window