Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning

Full description

On 1 January 2015 the Department of Environment and Primary Industries (DEPI) (VA 5002) was renamed the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) (VA 5036) by Order of the Governor-in-Council under section 10 of the Public Administration Act 2004 (Victorian Government Gazette, S 432, 4 Dec 2014). The name change was part of machinery-of-government changes made by the incoming Labor Government following the November 2014 State election.

The new department retained all portfolio responsibilities from DEPI except Agriculture (including functions relating to commercial fisheries and forest industries), which moved to the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources (DEDJTR) (VA 5034).

DELWP gained the Planning and Local Government portfolios from the former Department of Transport, Planning and Local Infrastructure (DTPLI) (VA 5003), with the exception of the functions performed by the Local Government Investigations and Compliance Inspectorate (VA 5006), which was moved to the Department of Premier and Cabinet (VA 1039) and the portfolio of the Special Minister of State.

On the same date, by order of the Governor in Council under Section 11 of the Public Administration Act 2004, the Environment Protection Authority (VA 1058) and the Office of the Victorian Government Architect (VA 5008) were moved to DELWP from their previous departments DEPI (VA 5002) and DTPLI (VA 5003), respectively.

According to a media release dated 4 December 2014 from the Premier the Hon Daniel Andrews MP, DELWP supported the following portfolios:

- Environment, Climate Change and Water
- Local Government
- Planning.

As at January 2015, the department consisted of the following main administrative groups:

- Capital Projects Group, responsible for the delivery of the Victorian Desalination Project and contract management until 2039
- Corporate Services Group
- Land, Fire and Environment Group, managing the public land estate on behalf of the Government for community benefit
- Local Infrastructure
- Office of the Secretary
- Planning, providing statutory and strategic guidance about the planning system
- Regional Services, responsible for delivery of government programs 'at place'
- Water and Catchments Group, overseeing the State wide network of authorities to deliver water to cities and towns, and for irrigation, wastewater management, and maintaining healthy rivers and a resilient water supply system.

As part of the machinery of government changes after the re-election of Andrews Government in November 2018, the portfolio of Suburban Development moved to the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions (VA 5251).

A new portfolio entity was created within DELWP, called Solar Victoria, and is responsible for the delivery of the government’s Solar Homes Program.

Following the machinery of government changes in June 2020, the Local Government portfolio was transferred to Department of  Jobs, Precincts and Regions (DJPR) (VA 5251).

On 1 January 2023, DELWP was renamed the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (VA 5285) by Order of the Governor in Council under section 10 of the Public Administration Act 2004 (Victorian Government Gazette, S 673 Monday 5 December 2022). The name change was part of machinery of government changes made by the re-elected Labor Andrews Government following the November 2022 State election.

The planning portfolio moved from DELWP (VA 5036) into the renamed Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) (VA 5286). Land Use Victoria also moved from DELWP into DTP.  

Responsibility for Acts was transferred from DELWP to the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action under Administrative Arrangements Order No. 251 (Victorian Government Gazette, No. S 717, 19 December 2022).