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Appendix 1: Environment Activities by Portfolio

Table A1.1: Environment Activities by Portfolio

Portfolios	Major environmental responsibilities
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry	Natural resource management policy, integrating environmental considerations with a broad range of natural resource management programmes.
Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics	Economic research to enhance the competitiveness and sustainability of Australia's primary and manufacturing industries and the quality of the Australian environment.
Australian Fisheries Management Authority	Ensures the sustainable use and efficient management of Commonwealth fisheries resources.
Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service	Quarantine services to prevent entry of exotic pests and diseases, and for inspecting and certifying export goods prescribed under the Export Control Act 1982.
Bureau of Rural Sciences	Provides scientific advice to government in support of more sustainable Australian agricultural, food, fisheries and forestry industries.
Land and Water Resources Research and Development Corporation	Research to improve the management of Australia's land and water resources and the vegetation it supports.
Murray-Darling Basin Commission	Manages the Murray River and the Menindee Lakes system, and advises the Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council.
Attorney-General's	Community-based environmental legal services and environment-related legal advice.
Australian Customs Service	Border operations to control potentially environmentally damaging imports and exports.
Australian Government Solicitor	Provision of legal services on environmental matters to Commonwealth departments and agencies.
Communications, Information Technology and the Arts	Radio frequency and electromagnetic energy research and information.
Defence	Management of the environment and heritage attributes of the Defence estate, particularly training areas.
Education, Training and Youth Affairs	Provision of Green Corps (Young Australians for the Environment), environmental education materials and professional development to teachers, and support for research and research training.
Australian Research Council	Promotion of higher education research (including environmental research).
Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business	Administers the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme.
Environment and Heritage	Primarily responsible for environmental policy, with a broad range of environmental programmes.
Australian Antarctic Division	Research on marine and terrestrial biology, atmosphere, ice-atmosphere interactions and climate change, and protection of the Antarctic environment.
Australian Greenhouse Office	Coordinates domestic climate change policy and manages the delivery of major new and existing Commonwealth greenhouse programmes.
Australian Heritage Commission	Values and conserves natural and cultural heritage places.
Bureau of Meteorology	Atmospheric, oceanographic and hydrological monitoring, research and service provision.

Continued

Table A1.1: Environment Activities by Portfolio (continued)

Portfolios	Major environmental responsibilities
Director of National Parks	Responsible for managing Commonwealth protected areas.
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority	Protection, wise use, understanding and enjoyment of the Great Barrier Reef.
Sydney Harbour Federation Trust	Conservation and management of heritage properties in Sydney Harbour.
National Oceans Office	Implementation of Australia's Oceans Policy.
Family and Community Services	Promoting landcare involvement through Child Care Benefits.
Finance and Administration	Monitors Commonwealth environment spending and contributes to environment policy.
Foreign Affairs and Trade	Promotes solutions to international environmental issues consistent with Australia's economic and environmental interests.
Australian Agency for International Development	Overseas aid programmes supporting Australia's national interests through sustainable development activities in developing countries.
Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research	Achieves more productive and sustainable agricultural systems, for the benefit of developing countries and Australia, through international agricultural research partnerships.
Health and Aged Care	A range of environmental health activities as well as contributions to chemical assessments.
Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency	Protecting the health of the environment from the effects of radiation.
Interim Office of the Gene Technology Regulator	Managing the potential risks of gene technology to the environment.
National Health and Medical Research Council	Helps to ensure the quality of Australia's drinking water.
Immigration and Multicultural Affairs	Monitors the relationship between the environment and population change.
Industry, Science and Resources	Industry development policies and programmes covering science research and development, innovation, technology diffusion and business networks. Also a major funder of environmental research.
Australian Geological Survey Organisation	Geological research to aid in the management of Australia's environment and natural resources.
Australian Institute of Marine Sciences	Research for the sustainable use and protection of Australia's marine environment.
Australian Surveying and Land Information Group	Provides fundamental geographic information for environmental monitoring and natural resource management.
Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation	Environmental applications using ANSTO's nuclear expertise and facilities.
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation	Major contributor to environmental research in Australia.
National Standards Commission	Participates in the development of international standards for a wide range of environmental measuring instruments.
Prime Minister and Cabinet	Responsible for providing general environmental policy advice. However, it does not administer any environmental programmes itself.
Reconciliation and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs	Contributes to the development of Indigenous heritage policy.
Indigenous Land Corporation	Indigenous land management programme.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission	Aboriginal heritage programmes.

Continued

Table A1.1: Environment Activities by Portfolio (continued)

Portfolios	Major environmental responsibilities
Transport and Regional Services	Primarily responsible for transport policy integrating environmental considerations and for Commonwealth land management functions in Australia's external territories.
AirServices Australia	Manages aviation environmental issues under the Air Services Act 1995.
Australian Maritime Safety Authority	Manages the National Plan to Combat Pollution of the Sea by Oil and other Noxious and Hazardous Substances.
National Capital Authority	Manages national land required for the special purposes of Canberra as the national capital.
Treasury	Contributes to the development of environment policy.
Australian Bureau of Statistics	Development of environmental accounts and reporting of environment statistics.
Australian Taxation Office	Administers a range of environment-related taxes, levies, deductions and rebates.
Productivity Commission	Addresses environmental issues in its public inquiries and research.