Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities
SEWPaC
14 September 2010 – 18 September 2013
Previously Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (2007–2010). Renamed Department of the Environment in 2013.
Department of State responsible for environment protection and biodiversity conservation, heritage, water policy and the Murray–Darling Basin reforms, the Antarctic program, and sustainable population and communities policy.
Names over time
- Department of the Arts, Sport, the Environment, Tourism and Territories1987–1991
- Department of the Arts, Sport, the Environment and Territories1991–1993
- Department of the Environment, Sport and Territories1993–1997
- Department of the Environment1997–1998
- Department of the Environment and Heritage1998–2007
- Department of the Environment and Water Resources2007
- Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts2007–2010
- Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities2010–2013
- Department of the Environment2013–2016
- Department of the Environment and Energy2016–2020
How it came into existence
Created by the Administrative Arrangements Order of 14 September 2010, after the 2010 election, when the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts was renamed after the arts moved to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet; it also took on sustainable population and sustainable communities policy. Tony Burke became Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities.
- Environment protection and biodiversity conservation
- Heritage
- Water policy and the Murray–Darling Basin
- Antarctica
- National parks
How it ended
Renamed the Department of the Environment on 18 September 2013 by the Abbott government, which also moved climate change policy into it from the abolished Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education.
- Environment protection and biodiversity conservation
- Heritage
- Water policy
- Antarctica
- Indigenous ranger program (Working on Country)
Main functions
- Environment protection and biodiversity conservation, including the EPBC Act
- National and World Heritage
- Water policy, the Water for the Future program and the Murray–Darling Basin Plan
- Australian Antarctic program
- Sustainable population strategy
- Commonwealth national parks and marine reserves
- Supervising Scientist and environmental research
Lineage
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Sources
Primary sources
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 14 September 2010 (created it)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 18 September 2013 (took effect as it ended)
4 more Administrative Arrangements Orders set it out
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 14 October 2010 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 14 December 2011 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 9 February 2012 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 16 May 2013 (sets it out)
Some dates or links for this organisation are not fully confirmed. Corrections are welcome.