The Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE) was an

Australian Government The Australian Government, also known as the Commonwealth Government or simply as the federal government, is the national executive government of Australia, a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. The executive consists of the pr ...

department which operated from 1 February 2020 until 30 June 2022. It represented Australia's national interests in agriculture, water and the environment. On 1 July 2022, the agriculture and water component became the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), while the environment component became the new

Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) is a department of the Australian Government. The department was established on 1 July 2022, superseding the water and environment functions from the Department of A ...

Organisation, key people, functions

The Department represents Australia's national interests across agriculture, water and the environment. The

Secretary A secretary, administrative assistant, executive assistant, personal secretary, or other similar titles is an individual whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, program evalu ...

of the Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment,

Andrew Metcalfe Andrew Edgar Francis Metcalfe, (born 1959) is a former senior Australian public servant and policymaker who was Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Australia), Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry ...

, is responsible to the Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management, Murray Watt. It is sometimes referred to by the acronym DAWE.

Functions

The department is responsible for the Commonwealth's regulation and oversight of: * Agricultural, pastoral, fishing, food and forest industries * Soils and other natural resources * Rural adjustment and drought issues * Rural industries inspection and quarantine * Primary industries research including economic research * Commodity marketing, including export promotion and

agribusiness Agribusiness is the industry, enterprises, and the field of study of value chains in agriculture and in the bio-economy, in which case it is also called bio-business or bio-enterprise. The primary goal of agribusiness is to maximize profit ...

* Commodity-specific international organisations and activities * Administration of international commodity agreements * Administration of export controls on agricultural, fisheries and forestry industries products *

Food security Food security is the state of having reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, healthy Human food, food. The availability of food for people of any class, gender, ethnicity, or religion is another element of food protection. Simila ...

policy and programmes * Water policy and resources *

Biosecurity Biosecurity refers to measures aimed at preventing the introduction or spread of harmful organisms (e.g. viruses, bacteria, plants, animals etc.) intentionally or unintentionally outside their native range or within new environments. In agricult ...

, in relation to animals and plants * Environment protection and conservation of

biodiversity Biodiversity is the variability of life, life on Earth. It can be measured on various levels. There is for example genetic variability, species diversity, ecosystem diversity and Phylogenetics, phylogenetic diversity. Diversity is not distribut ...

* Air quality * National fuel quality standards * Land contamination * Meteorology * Administration of the

Australian Antarctic Territory The Australian Antarctic Territory (AAT) is a part of East Antarctica claimed by Australia as an external territory. It is administered by the Australian Antarctic Division, an agency of the federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the E ...

, and the

Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands The Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands (HIMI) is an Australian external territory comprising a volcanic group of mostly barren Antarctic islands, about two-thirds of the way from Madagascar to Antarctica. The group's overall land ...

* Natural, built and cultural heritage * Environmental information and research *

Ionospheric The ionosphere () is the ionized part of the upper atmosphere of Earth, from about to above sea level, a region that includes the thermosphere and parts of the mesosphere and exosphere. The ionosphere is ionized by solar radiation. It plays ...

prediction * Co-ordination of sustainable communities policy * Urban environment * Environmental water use and resources relating to the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder It is also responsible for maintaining the

Australian Heritage Database The Australian Heritage Database is a searchable online database of heritage sites in Australia. It is maintained by the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment , in consultation with Australian Heritage Council. There are more than ...

Food safety and biosecurity

The department is responsible for

food safety in Australia Food safety in Australia concerns the production, distribution, preparation, and storage of food in Australia to prevent foodborne illness, also known as food safety. Food Standards Australia New Zealand is responsible for developing food sta ...

. It works with industry and other Australian government agencies, in particular the

Department of Health A health department or health ministry is a part of government which focuses on issues related to the general health of the citizenry. Subnational entities, such as states, counties and cities, often also operate a health department of their o ...

and

Food Standards Australia New Zealand Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) (Māori: ''Te Mana Kounga Kai – Ahitereiria me Aotearoa''), formerly Australia New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA), is the statutory authority in the Australian Government Health portfolio that is ...

(FSANZ) to develop policy and food standards. Food standards are developed under the ''

Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code The Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (ANZFSC) is the legal code governing food safety and food labelling in Australia and New Zealand. It is administered by Food Standards Australia New Zealand. Officially, it is issued as Australian sec ...

'', administered by FSANZ and enforced by state and territory governments. Together with the

, the Department administers

biosecurity in Australia National biosecurity in Australia is governed and administered by two federal government departments, the Department of Health and thDepartment of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry The '' Biosecurity Act 2015'' (C'wealth) and related legislati ...

. The department administers relevant legislation at the Australian border, and imported food must meet Australia's biosecurity requirements (under the ''

Biosecurity Act 2015 The ''Biosecurity Act 2015'' is an Act of the Parliament of Australia which manages biosecurity risks in Australia at the national border. It was enacted on 16 June 2015, after the Bill was passed with bipartisan support on 14 May 2015. It co ...

''), as well as food safety requirements of the ''Imported Food Control Act 1992''. Labelling on imported food must comply the requirements, and is regulated under the Imported Food Inspection Scheme.

Portfolio agencies

Agencies that exist within the department include: *

Bureau of Meteorology The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM or BoM) is an executive agency of the Government of Australia, Australian Government that is responsible for providing Weather forecasting, weather forecasts and Meteorology, meteorological services to Australia a ...

Director of National Parks Director of National Parks is a Commonwealth corporate entity responsible for the management of a portfolio of terrestrial and marine protected areas proclaimed under the ''Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999'' (''EPB ...

* Murray-Darling Basin Authority *

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park protects a large part of Australia's Great Barrier Reef from damaging activities. It is a vast multiple-use Marine Park which supports a wide range of uses, including commercial marine tourism, fishing, ports an ...

Authority *

Sydney Harbour Federation Trust The Sydney Harbour Federation Trust ("Harbour Trust") is an Australian Government agency established in 2001 to preserve and rehabilitate a number of defence and other Commonwealth lands in and around Sydney Harbour. The Trust has been focused o ...

Australian Antarctic Division The Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) is a division of the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment & Water. The division undertakes science programs and research projects to contribute to an understanding of Antarctica and the S ...

* Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences *

Australian Fisheries Management Authority The Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) is the Australian Government agency responsible for the management and sustainable use of fisheries resources including combating illegal fishing activities in the Australian Fishing Zone tha ...

* Australian Pesticides & Veterinary Medicines Authority * Australia's Nature Hub *

National Landcare Program The Natural Heritage Trust (NHT), or National Heritage Trust Account was set up in 1997 by means of the ''Natural Heritage Trust of Australia Act 1997'', with the main objective of conserving the "natural capital infrastructure" of Australia. Mo ...

* National Pollutant Inventory *Physical Environment Analysis Network *

Sustainable Development Goals The ''2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development'', adopted by all United Nations (UN) members in 2015, created 17 world Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The aim of these global goals is "peace and prosperity for people and the planet" – wh ...

*Forest and Wood Products Council * Regional Investment Corporation * National Environmental Protection Council

History

Preceding departments – Agriculture

Department of Markets and Migration The Department of Markets and Migration was an Government of Australia, Australian government department that existed between January 1925 and January 1928. History The Department of Markets and Migration was created to bring together ...

(16 January 1925 – 19 January 1928) * Department of Markets (19 January 1928 – 10 December 1928) *

Department of Markets and Transport The Department of Markets and Transport was an Government of Australia, Australian government department that existed between December 1928 and April 1930. History When the Department was abolished, it was split into the Department of ...

(10 December 1928 – 21 April 1930) * Department of Markets (21 April 1930 – 13 April 1932) *

Department of Commerce The United States Department of Commerce (DOC) is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the Federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government. It is responsible for gathering data for business ...

(13 April 1932 – 22 December 1942) * Department of Commerce and Agriculture (22 December 1942 – 11 January 1956) * Department of Primary Industry (11 January 1956 – 2 June 1974) *

Department of Agriculture An agriculture ministry (also called an agriculture department, agriculture board, agriculture council, or agriculture agency, or ministry of rural development) is a ministry charged with agriculture. The ministry is often headed by a minister f ...

(12 June 1974 – 22 December 1975) * Department of Primary Industry (22 December 1975 – 24 July 1987) *

Department of Primary Industries and Energy The Department of Primary Industries and Energy was an Australian government department that existed between July 1987 and October 1998. Scope Information about the department's functions and government funding allocation could be fou ...

(24 July 1987 – 21 October 1998) * Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (21 October 1998 – 18 September 2013) *

(18 September 2013 – 21 September 2015) *

Department of Agriculture and Water Resources The Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Water Resources was a government department that existed between 2015 and 2019, which was responsible for developing and implementing policies and programs that contribute to strengthening ...

(21 September 2015 – 29 May 2019) *

(29 May 2019 – 1 February 2020)

Preceding departments – Environment

Department of the Environment and Energy The Department of the Environment and Energy (DEE) was an Government of Australia, Australian government department in existence between 2016 and 2020. The department was responsible for matters including environment protection and conservatio ...

(19 July 2016 – 1 February 2020)

Formation

The department was formed by way of an administrative order issued on 5 December 2019 and effective from 1 February 2020. The new department took over all functions of the previous

, and the environment functions of the previous

References

External links

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
{{DEFAULTSORT:Department Of Agriculture, Water and the Environment Agriculture, Water and the Environment Agricultural organisations based in Australia

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

Fishing in Australia

2020 establishments in Australia Ministries established in 2020 Environment of Australia Energy in Australia Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Defunct government departments of Australia