Portfolio Budget Statements 2004-2005

Environment and Heritage Portfolio
Budget Initiatives and Explanations of Appropriations 2004-2005
Budget Related Paper No. 1.7
ISSN 1448-1219 (Online), 1448-1200 (Print)

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Part C - Agency Budget Statements

Department of the Environment and Heritage

Section 1 - Department Overview, Appropriations and Budget Measures

Overview
Appropriations and Resourcing
Table 1.1 - Department of the Environment and Heritage - Appropriations and Other Revenue for 2004-05
Table 1.2 - Summary of Measures Contained in the 2004-2005 Budget
Table 1.3 - Receipts from Independent Sources
Table 1.4 - Movement of Adiministered Funds from 2003-04 to 2004-05
Table 1.5 - Estimates of Expenses from Special Appropriations
Table 1.6 - Estimates of Special Account Flows and Balances
Administered Capital and Departmental Equity Injections and Loans

OVERVIEW

The Department of the Environment and Heritage (the Department) advises on and implements policies and programmes for the protection and conservation of the environment, including both natural and cultural heritage places, on behalf of the Australian Government.

The Department is increasingly focusing on issues of national significance or those under direct Commonwealth jurisdiction, using both a mix of national environment protection legislation and programmes to achieves the Government's objectives.

The Australian Government's flagship environment protection legislation, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act 1999 , is administered by the Department. The EPBC Act provides a national framework for environment protection and the conservation of Australia's biodiversity. Recent amendments to the EPBC Act now see Australia's natural and cultural heritage protected and conserved. The Department also administers a range of other Acts to protect and conserve the environment.

The Department is also responsible for administering a number of major programmes. The most significant of those dealing with natural resource management come under the umbrella of the Trust and the NAP. Both the Trust and the NAP are administered jointly with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

The Department is structured into eight functional divisions and the separate accounting identity, the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD). The Department, without the AAD, is responsible for delivering Outcome 1 – Environment, while the AAD is responsible for delivering Outcome 2 – Antarctic.

The roles of the eight functional divisions and the Australian Antarctic Division are listed below:

Policy Coordination & Environment Protection Division

Formed as a result of merging the Sustainable Industries and Atmosphere Division and the Policy Coordination Division , the Policy Coordination and Environment Protection Division (PCEPD) has two distinct roles:

providing policy advice, and administering legislation and programmes to protect Australians living in urban environments; and
providing the Department with budgetary, economic, public affairs and other corporate support services.

PCEPD administers policies and programmes concerning the quality of the atmosphere, environmental performance by Australian industries and environmental risks of hazardous chemicals and organisms, by working with business organisations and industrial sectors, the community and all levels of government.

The Division administers the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989 , the Fuel Quality Standards Act 2000, and the Hazardous Waste (Regulation of Exports and Imports) Act 1989 . It also provides policy support to the Product Stewardship (Oil) Act 2000 . The Division is also responsible for the National Environment Protection Council Act 1994 and the National Environment Protection (Implementation of Measures) Act 1998 , and the implementation of national environment protection measures covering air quality, air toxics, diesel vehicles, contaminated sites, used packaging, controlled wastes and the National Pollutant Inventory.

The Division's corporate service elements support the department's outputs through the provision of cabinet and parliamentary, budgetary and corporate governance services, providing advice with respect to media and public relations, portfolio coordination and environmental economic analyses, as well as supporting the Department's international agenda. The Division also provides direct support to the Minister with regard to coordination of briefings and logistical arrangements.

The Division administers several programmes that have department-wide relevance. These include the Register of Environmental Organisations (which are eligible for tax concessions), liaison with non-government organisations (National Environment Consultative Forum, NECF) and grants to voluntary environment and heritage organisations.

Approvals and Wildlife Division

The Division has general policy oversight of the administration of the EPBC Act with particular responsibility for its environmental impact assessment and wildlife protection regimes. The Division manages the environmental assessment and approval processes in relation to the protection of matters of national environmental significance, Commonwealth land, and actions by Commonwealth departments and agencies.

The Division is also responsible for the identification and protection of nationally threatened species and ecological communities, listed migratory species and listed marine species. Other wildlife responsibilities include the regulation of wildlife imports and exports and the promotion of sustainable management of fisheries through the strategic assessment of export fisheries.

The Division is also responsible for the administration of Australia's obligations under a range of international conventions and agreements. These are the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (the CITES Convention), the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (the Bonn Convention), the Agreement between the Government of Australia and the Government of the People's Republic of China for the Protection of Migratory Birds and their Environment (CAMBA), the Agreement between the Government of Japan and the Government of Australia for the Protection of Migratory Birds and Birds in Danger of Extinction and their Environment (JAMBA) and the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter (the London Dumping Convention) .

The Division administers the Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Act 1981 , the Sea Installations Act 1987 and the Sea Installations Levy Act 1987 .

Heritage Division

The Heritage Division draws together Australia's national and international heritage obligations. The Division also administers a range of place-related cultural heritage grants.

On 1 January 2004, as a consequence of the Australian Heritage Council (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Act 2003 , the Australian Heritage Commission ceased to exist. Under the new legislation, a new independent expert advisory body, the Australian Heritage Council, has been established as the principal advisor to the Minister for the Environment and Heritage on heritage matters.

The Heritage Division administers the Distinctively Australian programme, which underpins implementation of the heritage amendments to the EPBC Act. The Division has responsibilities for administering provisions of the EPBC Act, including the establishment of a National Heritage List of Indigenous, natural and historic places of national significance and a Commonwealth Heritage List of places managed or owned by the Commonwealth. The Division assists the Australian Heritage Council manage the Register of the National Estate.

The Division administers several other Acts to protect and manage Australia's heritage. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984 provides opportunity for Aboriginal people to seek protection for areas and objects that are of particular significance in accordance with Aboriginal tradition, where these are under threat of injury or desecration. The Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976 provides protection for all historic shipwrecks and associated relics from low water mark to the edge of Australia's continental shelf. The Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986 controls the export and import of the most significant aspects of Australia's movable cultural heritage and provides for the return of the cultural property of other nations illegally imported into Australia.

The Division's World Heritage responsibilities include advising the Government on the implementation of the World Heritage Convention within Australia and internationally, including the identification and nomination of natural and cultural areas of world heritage value, and ensuring proper management of existing World Heritage properties, including support for implementation of the World Heritage provisions of the EPBC Act, and the promotion of Australian places on the World Heritage List.

Natural Resource Management Programmes Division

The Natural Resource Management Programmes Division advises the Government on biodiversity conservation and land management issues. The Division implements Commonwealth policy and legislation through programmes that promote the sustainable use of land and the protection of threatened and endangered species. Through these policies and programmes the Division works with the community to conserve Australia's biological diversity and manage its land resources in an ecologically sustainable way.

The Division has responsibility for administering the Natural Heritage Trust of Australia Act 1997 , including responsibility for ensuring the Trust's Corporate Governance responsibilities are met. The Division has primary carriage of the performance assessment of the Trust and the development and implementation of the extension of the Trust.

The Division is actively involved in a joint team with counterparts from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (forming the Commonwealth Regional Natural Resource Management Team), jointly implementing the Trust and the NAP. This involves dealing directly with the states/territories and regional communities in the on-ground implementation of these two programmes. It also includes the implementation of overarching national frameworks such as national accreditation criteria for regional plans and the National Frameworks for Natural Resource Management (NRM) Standards and Targets, and for Monitoring and Evaluation. The joint team arrangement streamlines processes by ensuring a single point of contact for the regional groups.

Land, Water and Coasts Division

The Land, Water and Coasts Division (LWCD) advises the Minister of Environment and Heritage on policy issues relating to biodiversity conservation, the conservation and sustainable use of land and vegetation, inland waters and the coastal, estuarine and marine environment. Priority policy issues include:

water reform, including the National Water Initiative and the Living Murray Initiative;
land management and repair;
urban and coastal sustainability, including water quality management, a national approach to coastal issues, and the Great Barrier Reef; and
the development of new marine protected areas.

The Division has a range of responsibilities under the EPBC Act, including the recovery of threatened species and ecological communities, the abatement of environmental threats, both aquatic and terrestrial, and the protection of internationally important wetlands.

The LWCD coordinates management of Australia's interests in a number of international treaties related to nature conservation, such as the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Convention to Combat Desertification and the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar Convention).

The Division also administers national projects through the Bushcare, Coastcare, Landcare and Rivercare themes of the Trust.

Through these policies and projects, the Division works with all levels of government, industry and the community to conserve Australia's biological diversity and manage its natural resources in an ecologically sustainable way.

Supervising Scientist Division

The Supervising Scientist's primary role is to advise the Minister for the Environment and Heritage in relation to protection of the environment of the Alligator Rivers Region in the Northern Territory from the potential impacts of past, existing and proposed uranium mining activities under the Environment Protection (Alligator Rivers Region) Act 1978 . The Supervising Scientist's role is achieved through a programme of scientific research, monitoring and assessment and by working constructively with the Northern Territory Government.

The Office of the Supervising Scientist assesses the environmental management performance of mining companies in the region, evaluates monitoring data, and provides technical advice to stakeholders to enhance environmental protection. The Environmental Research Institute of the Supervising Scientist (ERISS) collects monitoring data and undertakes environmental research needed to determine standards, practices and procedures for the protection of the environment from the effects of uranium mining.

The ERISS also has an international research profile especially in relation to wetland inventory, assessment and monitoring, and provides advice to international environmental conventions and programmes. The ERISS is a key member of the National Centre for Tropical Wetlands Research.

The Division also provides general advice on nuclear safety issues.

Parks Australia

Parks Australia works with the Director of National Parks to meet the Director's statutory functions and other delegated responsibilities. The Director's statutory functions are reported in Part C of this document under the heading, Director of National Parks, Agency Budget Statements. The Secretary has delegated administrative powers in relation to the following functions to the Director: Australian Biological Resources Study; National Reserves System Programme; and Indigenous Policy and Programmes. These functions are reported under Outcome 1 - Environment.

Corporate Strategies Division

The Corporate Strategies Division provides the department with human and financial resource management and other support services. The costs of these services are factored into the prices of the outputs of other divisions and are not separately reported.

The services delivered by this Division also include financial management and reporting, legal advice, the coordination of environmental education, management of the department's information technology contract, accommodation, library, data consultancy services delivered through the Environment Resources Information Network and records management.

Australian Antarctic Division

The Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) manages Australia's activities in the Antarctic and enhances Australia's role as an influential nation in the Antarctic Treaty System. The AAD administers the Australia Antarctic Territory and the Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands, conducts and supports science programmes, and represents Australia at international Antarctic meetings. It operates three stations in Antarctica – at Mawson, Davis and Casey – and one on subantarctic Macquarie Island. It develops and administers Australian law in support of the Government's objectives for the region.

The Division manages and conducts Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions (ANARE) and the programme of Australian science in Antarctica. Through ANARE, Australia has had a continuous presence in the Antarctic since 1947. Land-based scientific research is now augmented by studies of the oceanography and biology of the Southern Ocean, leading to new understanding of global climate systems and marine living resources.

The Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (the Madrid Protocol) designates Antarctica as a natural reserve for peace and science, and Australia plays a leading role in protecting the Antarctic environment.

APPROPRIATIONS AND RESOURCING

The total appropriation for the Department of the Environment in 2004-05 is $570.619 million. This comprises $232.680 million departmental output appropriation, $319.103 million administered appropriation and $18.836 million administered special appropriation.

Table 1.1 shows the appropriations and other revenue for the Department for 2004-05.

TABLE 1.1 - DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND HERITAGE - APPROPRIATIONS AND OTHER REVENUE FOR 2004-05 ($'000)
OUTCOMES	DEPARTMENTAL (Price of Outputs)						ADMINISTERED
	Revenue from Government						Annual Appropriations
	(appropriations)				Revenue			Bill No. 2		Total
		Special			from other	Total Price		(SPPs &	Special	Administered	TOTAL
	Bill No. 1	Approp ⁽⁴⁾	Total ⁽¹⁾		Sources ⁽³⁾	of Outputs ⁽¹⁾	Bill No. 1 *	NAOs) ⁽²⁾	Approp * ⁽⁴⁾	Approp ⁽¹⁾	APPROP
			(C1)			(E1)				(I 1)
	A	B	(C=A+B)		(D)	(E=C+D)	F	G	H	(I =F+G+H)	(J=C+I)
*Outcome 1* -
The environment, especially those aspects that are matters of national environmental significance, is protected and conserved	145,555	0	145,555		25,022	170,577	318,103	1,000	18,836	337,939	483,494
			85.3%	#
*Outcome 2* -
Australia's interests in Antarctica are advanced	87,125	0	87,125		919	88,044	0	0	0	0	87,125
			98.9%	#
TOTALS	232,680	0	232,680		25,941	258,621	318,103	1,000	18,836	337,939	570,619
			(K1)
1. Cells C1, E1 and I1 refer to information provided in Total Resource for Outcome Tables. 2.1.1 and 2.1.2. K1 refers to Table 3.1 – Budgeted Departmental Statement of Financial Performance. 2. Under the Appropriation Structure, Bill 2 includes Specific Purpose Payments (SPPs) 3. Revenue from other sources includes other revenue from Government (for example, resources free of charge) and revenue from other sources (for example, sales of goods and services) – refer Table 1.3 Receipts from Independent Sources. Revenue for Outcome 1 Environment also includes $1.4 million for administration of the NAP 4. Estimated Special Appropriation expenses are shown in Table 1.5 Estimates of Expenses from Special Appropriations # Percentage figure indicates the percentage contribution of revenue from Government (departmental output appropriations) to the total price of outputs by outcome * Includes expenses of $310.0m for the Natural Heritage Trust that will be met from appropriations ($321.4m) and existing Special Account funds. (Refer Table 1.6 Estimates of Special Accounts Flows and Balances and Table 2.1.1 Total Resources for Outcome 1 - Environment) There is no direct appropriation from Government to the Director of National Parks. Funds of $36 million will be appropriated directly to the Department of the Environment and Heritage (Departmental Appropriation Bill No. 1: Outcome 1 – Environment) and transferred to the Director of National Parks

TABLE 1.2 - SUMMARY OF MEASURES CONTAINED IN THE 2004-2005 BUDGET
MEASURE			Appropriations ($'000)			Appropriations ($'000)			Appropriations ($'000)			Appropriations ($'000)
		Output	2004-05			2005-06			2006-07			2007-08
		Groups	Admin	Dept		Admin	Dept		Admin	Dept		Admin	Dept
	Outcome	Affected	Exp.	Outputs	Total	Exp.	Outputs	Total	Exp.	Outputs	Total	Exp.	Outputs	Total
Great Barrier Reef – Representative Areas Programme⁽¹⁾	1	All	8,005	595	8,600	1,575	0	1,575	-	-	-	-	-	-

Natural Heritage Trust Extension ⁽²⁾	1	n/a	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	300,000	-	300,000

Protecting biodiversity ⁽³⁾	1	n/a	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

St George’s and St Paul’s Cathedrals - restoration ⁽³⁾	1	n/a

Budget estimates – enhanced quality and timeliness ⁽⁴⁾	All	All	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
(1) This component of a number of Government initiatives in the 2004-05 Budget which relate to the Great Barrier Reef (a total of $30.3 million over three years), will be managed mainly under the Department. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority will manage the other initiatives, – refer details in the section for GBRMPA. (2) The Government will provide $300 million to extend the Natural Heritage Trust for a further year to 2007-08. (3) Funding for these two measures relate to 2003-04 (4) This measure applies across all Government agencies to continue the implementation of the Budget Estimates and Framework Review recommendations. Provision for this purpose was made in the 2003-04 Budget pending consideration of funding for individual agencies

TABLE 1.3 - Receipts from Independent Sources
	2003-2004	2004-2005
	Estimated	Estimated
	Revenue	Revenue
	$'000	$'000
DEPARTMENTAL REVENUE
Sales of goods and services (1)	31,356	25,901
Other	40	40
Total non-appropriation departmental revenue	31,396	25,941

ADMINISTERED REVENUE
Environment - Miscellaneous Revenue	1,600	1,600
Captains Flat (Abatement of Pollution) Agreement - Interest and principal repayments	13	13
Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989 - Levies, fees and penalties (2)	3,369	1,964
Fuel Quality Standards Act 2000 – fees	30	30
Wildlife protection - Export/import fees	300	300
Great Barrier Reef environmental management charge	7,000	7,000
Total non-appropriation administered revenue	12,312	10,907

TOTAL ESTIMATED REVENUE	43,708	36,848
(1) Includes revenue from other sources provided from the Trust and NAP. (2) The Ozone Protection Act 1989 has been reformed and amendments are now reflected in the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989. Revenues have been revised in line with amounts allowed to be credited under Section 65C of the new Act (revised revenues for this Account are also reflected in Table 1.6 Estimates of Special Accounts Flows and Balances).

TABLE 1.4 - Movement of Adiministered Funds from 2003-04 to 2004-05
There are no movements of administered funds from 2003-04 to 2004-05 for Department of the Environment and Heritage.

TABLE 1.5 – Estimates of Expenses from Special Appropriations
		2003-2004	2004-2005
	Outcome	Estimated	Estimated
	Affected	Expense	Expense
		$'000	$'000
DEPARTMENTAL SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS
Appropriation (Supplementary Measures) Act (No.2) 1999 - Supporting the development and implementation of in-service emissions testing capabilities for diesel and petrol vehicles, where the diesel emissions testing is in connection with the making and/or implementation of a Diesel National Environment Protection Measure (NEMP) *	1	4,100	0
Appropriation (Supplementary Measures) Act (No.2) 1999 - Developing a product stewardship system for the reuse and recycling of waste oil *	1	6,400	0
SUB-TOTAL		10,500	0
ADMINISTERED SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS
Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989 – Payments from the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Account ()	1	189	0
Natural Heritage Trust of Australia Interest	1	22,513	18,836
SUB-TOTAL		22,702	18,836

TOTAL ESTIMATED EXPENSE		33,202	18,836
* Appropriation (Supplementary Measures) Act (No. 2) 1999 lapses in 2003-04. Unexpensed funding from the Measures for a Better Environment will revert to annual appropriation from 2004-05. ** The Ozone Protection Act 1989 has been reformed and amendments are now reflected in the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989. Prior to royal assent of the new Act on 5 December 2003, expenses relating to this item were funded through Administered Special Appropriation. The new Act no longer requires expenses to be funded via a Special Appropriation. Expenditure can be met directly from the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Special Account (revised expenses for this Account are reflected in Table 1.6 Estimates of Special Accounts Flows and Balances). Actual Special Appropriation receipts for this item for the period 1 July to 4 December 2003 will be reflected in the notes to the Administered Schedules of the Department of the Environment and Heritage's 2003-04 Annual Report.

TABLE 1.6 - ESTIMATES OF SPECIAL ACCOUNT FLOWS AND BALANCES
Estimate - 2004-05, Heavy Figures
Estimated Actual - 2003-04, Light figures
		Opening	Receipts	Expenses	Closing
		Balance	(3)	(1) (2)	Balance
		(4) 2004-05	2004-05	2004-05	2004-05
	Notes	(4a) 2003-04	2003-04	2003-04	2003-04
		$'000	$'000	$'000	$'000

NATURAL HERITAGE TRUST OF AUSTRALIA ACCOUNT - Natural Heritage Trust of Australia Act 1997, Section 40.	(1), (3)	375,833	331,533	310,000	397,366
	(1), (3)	484,147	141,686	250,000	375,833

OZONE PROTECTION AND SYNTHETIC GREENHOUSE GAS ACCOUNT - Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989 , Sections 65C & 65D	(1), (3) (5)	12,178	1,964	2,870	11,272
	(1), (3) (5)	1,765	11,253	840	12,178

NATIONAL CULTURAL HERITAGE ACCOUNT - Protection of Moveable Cultural Heritage Act 1986 , Section 25	(1), (3)	315	199	199	315
	(1), (3)	357	157	199	315

ENVIRONMENT - FEDERATION FUND ACCOUNT– Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997, Section 20	(6)	31,043	0	0	31,043
	(6)	31,043	0	0	31,043

AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION COUNCIL FUND TRUST ACCOUNT* – Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997, Section 20	(2)	12	0	0	12
	(2)	12	0	0	12

ENVIRONMENT – SERVICES FOR OTHER GOVERNMENTS AND NON- AGENCY BODIES ACCOUNT* – Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997, Section 20	(2)	3,654	730	500	3,884
	(2)	3,424	730	500	3,654

OTHER TRUST MONEYS ACCOUNT*	(2)	11	0	0	11
– Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997, Section 20	(2)	11	0	0	11

TOTAL SPECIAL ACCOUNTS		423,046	334,426	313,569	443,903
TOTAL SPECIAL ACCOUNTS		520,759	153,826	251,539	423,046
(1) Estimates make provision for amounts accrued. (2) Estimates for Special Public Monies are based on actual payments. (3) Estimates include appropriation receipts, refunded Trust grants and GST credits. Appropriation receipts ($25.694m) for the Trust in 2003-04 will not be drawn down from Administered annual appropriations. The amount represents Special Account interest for the Trust at 30 June 2004 (refer DEH 2002-03 Annual Report pp 376, 377) ) accruing to the Official Public Account. (4,4a) The opening balance for 2004-05 is the closing balance for 2003-04. * Special Public Monies Special Accounts (5) The Ozone Protection Act 1989 has been reformed and amendments are now reflected in the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989 . Receipts and expenses have been revised in line with Sections 65C and 65D of the new Act. Receipts include the Halon Bank balance transferred from the Department of the Environment and Heritage bank account to the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Account (revised receipts for this Account are also reflected in Table 1.3 Receipts from Independent Sources) . (6) The 2002-03 closing balance for the Environment Federation Fund Account was increased by $30.2 million (refer DEH 2002-03 Annual Report ). The Account is expected to be abolished before 30 June 2004 under a Determination made by the Minister for Finance and Administration. Upon abolition of the Account, any funds remaining in the Account at 30 June 2004 are expected to lapse back to the Official Public Account. The above Special Account flows do not include investments under s.39 of the Financial Management and Accountability Act.

ADMINISTERED CAPITAL AND DEPARTMENTAL EQUITY INJECTIONS AND LOANS

ADMINISTERED CAPITAL

The Department of the Environment and Heritage will not receive any administered capital in 2004-05.

EQUITY INJECTIONS AND LOANS

The Department of the Environment and Heritage has not been appropriated any administered capital for 2004-05 and will not receive any departmental equity injections or loans in 2004-05.

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