The changes to departmental structures announced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison today will strengthen the Government’s ability to deliver effective policy outcomes across agriculture, water and the environment for all Australians.
Environment, water and agriculture are inextricably linked across regional and rural Australia and metropolitan centres. Bringing together the environment and agriculture departments will provide greater synergies to the policies and programs that underpin regional Australia and our agriculture, fisheries and forestry industries. Managing our natural environment, our water, our land, our soils and air together makes sense. Farmers and our agricultural industries are at the frontline of Australia’s conservation and environmental efforts. We look forward to working even more closely together to deliver a practical environmental agenda that delivers for our farmers, who manage more than 50 per cent of Australia’s land mass and which supports the Morrison Government’s national environmental agenda.
We wish to sincerely thank outgoing Agriculture Department Secretary Daryl Quinlivan for his many years of outstanding leadership and tremendous policy advice. Daryl has been a dedicated and utterly professional public servant. We look forward to working with the new Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment, Mr Andrew Metcalfe.
This is a merging of departmental resources, not portfolios. From a portfolio perspective each minister will maintain their own policy objectives.
MEDIA CONTACTS: Minister McKenzie: Kate Filor, 0466 862 598, Minister Ley: John Brady 0427 867 638, Minister Littleproud: Douglas Ferguson 0455 448 985
