The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, previously Department of Regional NSW until June 2024, is a
department of the
New South Wales Government
The Government of New South Wales, also known as the NSW Government, is the executive state government of New South Wales, Australia. The government comprises 11 portfolios, led by a ministerial department and supported by several agencies. Th ...
. A central focus for the department is enhancing the liveability of regional and rural communities by strengthening local workforces and attracting key workers, boosting housing, and empowering the diversification of local economies.
The department is a central agency and advises across government on issues affecting the state’s regions, which are home to about one-third of the NSW population.
Key responsibilities of the department also include building stronger primary industries, driving local investment and economic development, brokering solutions to strengthen social cohesion, overseeing productive and sustainable land use and natural resources, and delivering local infrastructure and grant programs.
The department was established as Department of Regional NSW on 2 April 2020 to coordinate support for communities, businesses and farmers hit by the Black Summer
bushfires
A wildfire, forest fire, or a bushfire is an unplanned and uncontrolled fire in an area of Combustibility and flammability, combustible vegetation. Depending on the type of vegetation present, a wildfire may be more specifically identified as a ...
and drought. The department went onto support additional crises including floods and
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
, becoming a key voice advocating for local communities within government. It assumed the functions of the Regions, Industry, Agriculture and Resources division from the
Department of Planning, Industry and Environment
The New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) was a government department, department of the Government of New South Wales, New South Wales Government, responsible for effective and sustainable planning to support the growth i ...
. It also brought together
Department of Primary Industries (which was an agency and not a government department), Local Land Services, Resources and Geoscience and regional coordination across the government. On 1 July 2024, the Department of Primary Industries (the agency) was abolished and merged into the department and the latter was renamed to its current name.
Structure
The Department is the lead agency in the Regional NSW cluster, led by 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 ...
Steve Orr,
[ who reports to the following ministers:]Minister for Regional New South Wales
The Minister for Regional New South Wales is a minister in the Government of New South Wales who has responsibilities for regional areas. The minister is responsible for administering the Regional NSW cluster.
In the Minns ministry there ar ...
* Minister for 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 ...
* Minister for Western New South Wales
Ultimately the ministers are responsible to the Parliament of New South Wales
The Parliament of New South Wales, formally the Legislature of New South Wales, (definition of "The Legislature") is the bicameral legislative body of the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW). It consists of the Monarch, the New South Wa ...
.
Agencies
The following agencies are included in the Regional NSW cluster, administered by the Department:[
* Department of Primary Industries (until June 2024)
* Forestry Corporation of NSW (state-owned corporation)
* Local Land Services
* Mining, Exploration and Geoscience (MEG)
* Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation
* NSW Resources Regulator
* Office of the Cross-Border Commissioner
* Public Works
* Soil Conservation Service
]
Office locations
Nearly 80 per cent of the department’s staff live in the regional communities they serve. In June 2020, it was announced that the department will have four offices, located at Queanbeyan
Queanbeyan ( ) is a city in south-eastern New South Wales, Australia, located adjacent to the Australian Capital Territory in the Southern Tablelands region. Located on the Queanbeyan River, the city is the council seat of the Queanbeyan-Pale ...
, Armidale
Armidale is a city in the Northern Tablelands, New South Wales, Australia. Armidale had a population of 23,967 as of the 2021 census. Estimated resident population, 30 June 2018. It is the administrative centre for the Northern Tablelands reg ...
, Dubbo
Dubbo (; ) is a city in the Orana (New South Wales), Orana Region of New South Wales, Australia. It is the largest population centre in the Orana region, with a population of 43,516 at June 2021.
The city is located at the intersection of the ...
and Coffs Harbour
Coffs Harbour, locally nicknamed Coffs, is a coastal city on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, north of Sydney, and south of Brisbane. It is one of the largest urban centres on the North Coast, with a population of 78,759 a ...
.
See also
* List of New South Wales government agencies
References
External links
Regional NSW
– NSW Government
Regional NSW
– NSW Government Directory
{{New South Wales Government Departments
Regional NSW
2020 establishments in Australia