Department of Agriculture and Water Resources
21 September 2015 – 29 May 2019
Previously Department of Agriculture (2013–2015). Renamed Department of Agriculture in 2019.
Department of State responsible for agriculture, fisheries and forestry, biosecurity and export certification, drought assistance, and national water policy and resources including the Murray–Darling Basin Plan.
Names over time
- Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry1998–2013
- Department of Agriculture2013–2015
- Department of Agriculture and Water Resources2015–2019
- Department of Agriculture2019–2020
- Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment2020–2022
- Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry2022–present
How it came into existence
Created by the Administrative Arrangements Order of 21 September 2015, at the start of the Turnbull government, when the Department of Agriculture was renamed on taking water policy and resources from the Department of the Environment. Barnaby Joyce became Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources.
- Agriculture, fisheries and forestry
- Biosecurity
- Export certification
- Water policy and resources
- Murray–Darling Basin Plan implementation
Changes during its life
- Farm business concessional loans
Loans were previously managed by the department and delivered through state and territory rural adjustment authorities.
How it ended
Renamed the Department of Agriculture on 29 May 2019, after the 2019 election; water resources remained with the department under a separate minister.
- Agriculture, fisheries and forestry
- Biosecurity
- Water resources
- Drought
Main functions
- Agricultural, fisheries and forestry industry policy
- Biosecurity and quarantine
- Export inspection and certification
- Drought and rural assistance
- Water policy and resources, including implementation of the Murray–Darling Basin Plan
- Agricultural research and economics (ABARES)
Bodies in this portfolio (2)
- Interim Inspector-General of Biosecurity 2009–2016
- Australian Grape and Wine Authority 2014–2017
Lineage
Loading lineage…
Sources
Primary sources
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 30 September 2015 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 29 May 2019 (took effect as it ended)
8 more Administrative Arrangements Orders set it out
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 30 September 2015, as amended to 18 February 2016 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 30 September 2015, as amended to 19 July 2016 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 1 September 2016 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 1 September 2016, as amended to 27 October 2016 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 1 September 2016, as amended to 13 April 2017 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 19 April 2018 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 19 April 2018, as amended to 28 August 2018 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 4 April 2019 (sets it out)
- Australian Government Organisations Register (Department of Finance, data.gov.au) (listed from 30 November 2015 to 2 April 2019)