Our portfolio
The agriculture, fisheries and forestry portfolio aims to enhance the sustainability, profitability and competitiveness of Australia’s agriculture, food, fisheries and forestry industries.
The portfolio structure and outcome are shown in Figure 9. The department and the portfolio agencies each have their own planned outcomes, which contribute to the portfolio outcome.
Our minister and parliamentary secretary
Senator the Hon. Joe Ludwig, the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, is responsible for the portfolio. He is assisted by the Hon. Dr Mike Kelly AM MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. They were sworn in on 14 September 2010.
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
DAFF provides advice and support to the Australian Government on agriculture, food, fisheries and forestry. We deliver a wide range of programs and services to achieve the government’s objectives and to support stakeholders in these sectors. Further information about our role and functions is provided in 'Our department'.
Within the portfolio, we support the minister and the parliamentary secretary in exercising their governance responsibilities in relation to portfolio agencies, we advise on and oversee portfolio legislative and regulatory development, administer special appropriations for portfolio agencies, and support advisory bodies.
Portfolio agencies
Regulatory bodies
The portfolio has three prescribed agencies under the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 that have regulatory roles.
Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA)
The Australian Fisheries Management Authority is responsible for ensuring the sustainable use and cost-effective management of Commonwealth fisheries. It provides management, advisory, compliance and licensing services, and develops operational policies and regulations. The Australian Government and the commercial fishing industry jointly fund AFMA. Costs of managing commercial fisheries under the Commonwealth’s jurisdiction are recovered through levies and charges.
Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA)
The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority is responsible for assessing, registering and regulating the use of agricultural pesticides and medicines to protect human health and the environment. It is funded almost entirely on a cost-recovery basis through fees and levies paid by registered chemical companies.
Wheat Exports Australia (WEA)
Wheat Exports Australia body was established on 1 July 2008 to manage the Wheat Export Accreditation Scheme, which regulates the export of bulk wheat. The Wheat Export Charge and accreditation fees together fund WEA’s activities. WEA is accountable to parliament through the minister and to wheat growers through legislative reporting obligations.
Statutory marketing authority
Wine Australia Corporation
The Wine Australia Corporation, formerly the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation, promotes the Australian wine industry through marketing strategies and regulation to protect the industry’s reputation. Its activities are funded by industry levies from winemakers and by fees for marketing and regulatory services. In 2010–11, the Australian Government provided an Export Market Development Grant of $125 000.
The corporation is accountable to parliament through the minister and to winemakers through the peak industry body.
Research and development corporations
The portfolio includes six research and development corporations, which provide their industries with leadership and investment in research innovation as well as knowledge creation and transfer for their industries. They are:
- Cotton Research and Development Corporation (CRDC)
- Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC)
- Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC)
- Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation (GWRDC)
- Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC)
- Sugar Research and Development Corporation (SRDC).
Their activities are funded by industry levies and matching Australian Government contributions. They are accountable to parliament through the minister, and to their industries through the representative industry body or bodies declared by the minister.
Links to the websites of portfolio agencies are available on the DAFF website.
Reporting
This annual report covers the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) only and has been prepared in accordance with the 2011 'Requirements for annual reports for departments, executive agencies and FMA Act bodies'. It includes the annual report required under subsection 26(1) of the Natural Resources Management (Financial Assistance) Act 1992 (see Appendix 12). The annual report of the National Residue Survey, administered by the department, is tabled separately in accordance with section 10 of the National Residue Survey Administration Act 1992.
Portfolio agencies table their own reports which are available on their websites.
Other portfolio bodies
Industry-owned companies
The portfolio also covers nine industry-owned companies, which provide marketing, and research and development services for the benefit of their industries:
- Australian Egg Corporation (AEC)
- Australian Livestock Export Corporation Limited (ALEC)
- Australian Meat Processor Corporation Limited (AMPC)
- Australian Pork Limited (APL)
- Australian Wool Innovation Limited (AWI)
- Dairy Australia Limited (DA)
- Forest and Wood Products Australia Limited (FWA)
- Horticulture Australia Limited (HAL)
- Meat and Livestock Australia Limited (MLA).
These industry service bodies receive levy payments and matching funding for eligible research and development expenditure. HAL also has an export control role. Their accountability and reporting obligations are set out in statutory funding agreements.
Other associated companies
Three not-for-profit companies receive Australian government funding:
- Animal Health Australia Limited (AHA)
- Landcare Australia Limited (LAL)
- Plant Health Australia Limited (PHA).
AHA and PHA are not-for-profit public companies established by the Australian, state and territory governments and the livestock and plant industries. They aim to develop a collective government and industry approach to developing, coordinating and implementing animal and plant health policies and management programs. They are funded by member subscriptions, mostly raised by industry levies.
LAL is an Australian Government private non-profit company, which supports Landcare activities. It is funded under Caring for our Country.
Advisory and review bodies
A number of statutory and non-statutory bodies provide independent advice on strategic directions and priorities, scrutiny of processes and decisions, and consultative forums.
These bodies include but are not limited to:
- Australian Landcare Council
- Biosecurity Advisory Council
- Eminent Scientists Group
- Forest and Wood Products Council
- Forest Industries Climate Change Research Fund Assessment Panel
- Forest Industries Development Fund Advisory Committee
- Import Risk Analysis Appeals Panel
- National Food Policy Working Group
- National Rural Advisory Council
- Recreational Fishing Advisory Committee
- Rural Research and Development Council.
Links to the websites of these portfolio bodies and advisory groups are available on the DAFF website.
Ministerial councils
In 2010–11, DAFF contributed to national approaches in agriculture, fisheries and forestry through the Primary Industries Ministerial Council (PIMC). We also worked collaboratively through the Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council (NRMMC) to manage Australia’s land, water, vegetation and biological resources. Our work through these councils is reported in Part 3: Report on performance.
These councils were established in 2001 following agreement between the Australian Government and state and territory governments. Their role was to integrate conservation and sustainable production objectives. The councils made decisions by consensus and implemented them within the relevant member jurisdictions. Each council was supported by a standing committee, respective advisory committees and working groups. Figure 10 shows the structure of each of the councils.
On 13 February 2011, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed to reform the ministerial council system. Twelve new standing councils will be formed, including a new Standing Council on Primary Industries and a new Standing Council on Environment and Water.
Under the new council system, DAFF’s main focus will be the new COAG Standing Council on Primary Industries. This will be the peak forum to pursue and monitor issues of national significance affecting Australia’s primary production sectors. It will deal with issues that require a sustained and collaborative effort across all jurisdictions and will address areas of shared responsibility and funding for Australia’s primary production sectors.
The new COAG Standing Council on Primary Industries will develop and implement policies and strategies for achieving agreed national approaches to biosecurity, productivity and sustainability of primary industries (including fisheries and forestry industries) and food security. It will encourage greater collaboration between jurisdictions and promote continuous improvement in the investment of research and development resources nationally.
Figure 10 Council structures at 30 June 2011
a The National Biosecurity Committee reports to both councils
Natural Heritage Ministerial Board
The Natural Heritage Ministerial Board is a joint ministerial decision-making body for the Caring for our Country initiative. It comprises the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. The board oversees the administration of the Natural Heritage Trust of Australia Account under the Natural Heritage Trust of Australia Act 1997.
Our history
For the first two decades following Federation, the Australian Government’s involvement in agriculture, fisheries and forestry looked outwards—to quarantine, export arrangements and fisheries in Australian waters beyond territorial limits. These functions were mainly within the Department of Trade and Customs. The Department of Markets and Migration, established on 16 January 1925, was the first department dedicated to agricultural regulation and to providing assistance to agricultural production and marketing. In 1927, the Commonwealth Forestry Bureau was established within the Department of Home and Territories.
In 1928, the department became the Department of Markets, and then in 1932, it was renamed the Department of Commerce. In 1942, in recognition of the vital contribution of Australian agriculture to the war effort, the Department of Commerce was renamed the Department of Commerce and Agriculture. The department was given responsibility for the Commonwealth’s fisheries policy, coordination and control in 1946. A dedicated Department of Primary Industry was established in 1956. Forestry was brought within the department in 1972, followed by animal and plant quarantine in 1984, complementing a long-standing role in maintaining animal and plant health. For just over a decade, we were joined with other primary industries and energy areas, before becoming the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry - Australia on 21 October 1998. We are now the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
The importance of an evidence base for policy was recognised early on. In 1945, the Bureau of Agricultural Economics was set up within the department to provide professionally-independent economic advice. In 1987, the Bureau of Agricultural Economics was amalgamated with the Bureau of Resource Economics and became the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics.
The Bureau of Rural Sciences was established in 1986 to provide scientific advice. The two bureaus—the Bureau of Rural Sciences and the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics—were brought together this year as the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES).
Source: Hale, P with Ashton, P 2002, Raising the nation: a history of Commonwealth departments of agriculture, fisheries and forestry, 1901–2001, Canberra: Dept of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.