Department overview | |
---|---|
Formed | 2 April 2020 |
Preceding Department |
|
Type | Department |
Jurisdiction | New South Wales |
Headquarters | 1 Monaro St, Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia |
Department executive |
|
Website | www |
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. 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. [1]
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 and drought. [2] The department went onto support additional crises including floods and COVID-19, 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. 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. [3] [4]
The Department is the lead agency in the Regional NSW cluster, led by the Secretary Steve Orr, [3] who reports to the following ministers: [5] [6]
Ultimately the ministers are responsible to the Parliament of New South Wales.
The following agencies are included in the Regional NSW cluster, administered by the Department: [7] [5] [8]
Nearly 80 per cent of the department’s staff live in the regional communities they serve. [9] In June 2020, it was announced that the department will have four offices, located at Queanbeyan, Armidale, Dubbo and Coffs Harbour. [10] Staff are also based in other regional centres, including Wagga Wagga and Nowra.
The Riverina is an agricultural region of southwestern New South Wales, Australia. The Riverina is distinguished from other Australian regions by the combination of flat plains, warm to hot climate and an ample supply of water for irrigation. This combination has allowed the Riverina to develop into one of the most productive and agriculturally diverse areas of Australia. Bordered on the south by the state of Victoria and on the east by the Great Dividing Range, the Riverina covers those areas of New South Wales in the Murray and Murrumbidgee drainage zones to their confluence in the west.
Cootamundra, nicknamed Coota, is a town in the South West Slopes region of New South Wales, Australia and within the Riverina. It is within the Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council. At the 2016 Census, Cootamundra had a population of 6,782. It is located on the Olympic Highway at the point where it crosses the Muttama Creek, between Junee and Cowra. Its railway station is on the Main Southern line, part of the Melbourne-to-Sydney line.
The New South Wales Rural Fire Service is a volunteer-based firefighting agency and statutory body of the Government of New South Wales.
Leeton is a town located in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. It is situated in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area. It is the administrative centre of the Leeton Shire Council local government area, which includes neighbouring suburbs, towns and localities such as Yanco, Wamoon, Whitton, Gogeldrie, Stanbridge and Murrami.
The New South Wales Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH), a former division of the Government of New South Wales between April 2011 and July 2019, was responsible for the care and protection of the environment and heritage, which includes the natural environment, Aboriginal country, culture and heritage, and built heritage in New South Wales, Australia. The OEH supported the community, business and government in protecting, strengthening and making the most of a healthy environment and economy within the state. The OEH was part of the Department of Planning and Environment cluster and managed national parks and reserves.
The New South Wales Department of Primary Industries (DPI) was an agency of the New South Wales Government, responsible for the administration and development for agriculture, fisheries, aquaculture, forestry, and biosecurity in New South Wales. The DPI worked to drive innovation in primary industries to improve resilience, productivity and sustainability, and to ensure risks are managed for natural resources, farming and food.
The New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) was a department of the New South Wales Government, responsible for effective and sustainable planning to support the growth in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It made plans based on evidence for the state's cities and regions, working with the community, business and local government to create places for people in NSW to live, work and spend their leisure time, while ensuring good access to transport and other services like shops and restaurants. The department was also responsible for the evidence-based assessment of state significant development applications.
The South Western Slopes, also known as the South West Slopes, is a region predominantly in New South Wales, Australia. It covers the lower inland slopes of the Great Dividing Range, extending from north of Dunedoo through central NSW and into northeast Victoria, meeting its southwestern end around Beechworth. More than 90% of the region is in the state of New South Wales and it occupies about 10% of that state.
The New South Wales State Emergency Service, an agency of the Government of New South Wales, is an emergency and rescue service dedicated to assisting the community in times of natural and man-made disasters. The NSW SES is made up almost entirely of volunteer members, numbering over 10,214 as of July 2021. Members are easily identified by their distinctive orange overalls.
In the state of New South Wales, Australia, there are many areas which are commonly known by regional names. Regions are areas that share similar characteristics. These characteristics may be natural such as the Murray River, the coastline, or the Snowy Mountains. Alternatively, the characteristics may be cultural, such as a viticulture land use. New South Wales is divided by numerous regional boundaries, based on different characteristics. In many cases boundaries defined by different agencies are coterminous.
Screen NSW, formerly known as the New South Wales Film and Television Office, or FTO, and before that the New South Wales Film Corporation, is a brand name that is part of Create NSW, an agency of the Government of New South Wales that is responsible for supporting and promoting the arts, artists and the various cultural bodies within the state of New South Wales in Australia. Screen NSW assists, promotes and strengthens the screen industry in the state of New South Wales. It was previously an agency in its own right, but since 1 April 2017 has been part of Create NSW. The name "Screen NSW" ceased to exist within Create NSW between that date and September 2019, when a restructure resurrected the brand. As of July 2022, Kyas Hepworth is the Head of Screen NSW.
The New South Wales Office of Sport, an agency of the New South Wales Government, is responsible for assisting the people of New South Wales to participate in sport and active recreation, in order to improve personal and community well being.
Transport for NSW (TfNSW) is a New South Wales government transport and road agency established on 1 November 2011. The agency is a different entity to the New South Wales Department of Transport, a department of the New South Wales Government and the ultimate parent entity of Transport for NSW.
The New South Wales Department of Industry was a former department of the New South Wales Government, from 2015 until 2019. The Department of Industry was replaced by the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment in July 2019.
The auditor-general of New South Wales helps the Parliament of New South Wales hold government accountable for its use of public resources.
The Treasury of New South Wales, branded NSW Treasury, a department of the New South Wales Government, is responsible for state financial management policy and reporting, and providing advice to the government on economic conditions and issues in New South Wales, Australia. NSW Treasury was established in April 1824 and is the oldest continuing government agency in Australia.
In South Australia, one of the states of Australia, there are many areas which are commonly known by regional names. Regions are areas that share similar characteristics. These characteristics may be natural such as the Murray River, the coastline, desert or mountains. Alternatively, the characteristics may be cultural, such as common land use. South Australia is divided by numerous sets of regional boundaries, based on different characteristics. In many cases boundaries defined by different agencies are coterminous.
The New South Wales Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) is a department of the New South Wales Government, responsible for effective and sustainable planning to support the growth in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It makes plans based on evidence for the state's cities and regions, working with the community, business and local government to create places for people in NSW to live, work and spend their leisure time, while ensuring good access to transport and other services like shops and restaurants. The department was also responsible for the evidence-based assessment of state significant development applications.