Changes to NSW Government Agencies

Under administrative arrangements announced by the NSW Government, the following changes to agencies have been made:

Department of Premier and Cabinet
  • The Premier’s Department has been renamed the Department of Premier and Cabinet
  • The department is responsible to the Premier.
  • All Premier’s Department functions have been moved to the new department.
  • The Cabinet Office has been abolished and all its branches (except the Greenhouse Office and Metropolitan Water Directorate – see below) have been moved to the new department
  • The Office of the Coordinator General has been established as a separate office within the department (and will comprise staff from parts of the Premier’s Department, the Department of State and Regional Development and the Infrastructure Implementation Group).
Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC)
  • The Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) has been renamed the Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC).
  • The department is responsible to the Minister for Climate Change, Environment and Water.
  • The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has been abolished and all branches transferred to DECC, with the exception of:
    • transfer to the Department of Lands of staff primarily responsible for the Western Lands Act, the Hay Irrigation Act and the Wentworth Irrigation Act.
    • transfer to the Department of Water and Energy (see below) of staff primarily responsible for the Water Act, the Water Management Act and the Murray-Darling Basin Act.
    • transfer to the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) of staff primarily involved in soil conservation services, forestry structural adjustment, the Plantations and Reafforestation Act and corporate services provision.
  • DPI staff responsible for habitat protection plans, aquatic reserves, threatened species protection and administration of the Marine Parks Act have been moved to DECC.
  • The NSW Greenhouse Office has been moved from The Cabinet Office to DECC.
  • The Resource and Conservation Unit is removed from the Department of Premier and Cabinet and is added to the DECC.
Department of Water and Energy (DWE)
  • The Department of Water and Energy is responsible to the Minister for Climate Change, Environment and Water and the Minister for Energy.
  • The Department of Energy Utilities and Sustainability (DEUS) has been abolished and all branches transferred to DWE, with the exception of:
    • DEUS staff primarily involved in energy or water efficiency and renewable energy policy have been moved to DECC.
    • DEUS staff primarily involved in the accredited service providers program have been moved to the Office of Fair Trading (in the Department of Commerce).
  • The Metropolitan Water Directorate (formerly part of The Cabinet Office) is now located at DWE.
NSW Businesslink
  • NSW Businesslink has been abolished and all branches added to the Department of Commerce.

Complete details can be found in the latest Government Gazette of the State of NSW