AGY-5273 | Department of Water and Energy

Full description

The Department of Water and Energy was established from 27 April 2007 as a Division of the Government Service responsible to the Minister for Climate Change, Environment and Water, and to the Minister for Energy. (1)

Staff removed from the Department of Natural Resources and transferred to the Department of Water and Energy consisted of those principally involved in the administration of the Water Act 1912 and the Water Management Act 2000 (other than staff principally involved in environmental water management and environmental water recovery programs), and those principally involved in the administration of the Murray-Darling Basin Act 1992, including in connection with proposed Commonwealth water legislation relating to the Murray-Darling Basin. (2)

The Department of Water and Energy incorporates most of the functions of the former Department of Energy, Utilities and Sustainability, the water related functions of the former Department of Natural Resources, as well as the Metropolitan Water Directorate from the former New South Wales Cabinet Office. (3) A reference in any document to the Cabinet Office (in relation to the Metropolitan Water Directorate) is to be construed as a reference to the Department of Water and Energy. (4)

All other branches of the Department of Energy, Utilities and Sustainability were removed and transferred to the Department of Water and Energy, with the group of staff principally involved in energy policy in Treasury also transferred to the Department of Water and Energy. (5)

From 1 July 2009 the Department of Water and Energy was abolished. (6) Its functions were split between the new Principal Departments, the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water and the Department of Industry and Investment. The Office of Water was established in the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water with the group of staff from the Department of Water and Energy who were principally involved in the administration of legislation relating to water and staff who provided corporate services required in connection with the Office of Water. (7) The remaining staff of the Department of Water and Energy were added to the Department of Industry and Investment. (8) 

Endnotes
1. Public Sector Employment and Management (General) Order 2007, cl.16 in NSW Government Gazette No.47, Special Supplement, 2 April 2007, p.2103; amended by Public Sector Employment and Management (General) Amendment (DNR Corporate Services) Order 2007 in NSW Government Gazette No.56, Special Supplement, 20 April 2007, p.2435 (amending commencement date to 27 April 2007).
2. Public Sector Employment and Management (General) Order 2007, cl.18-19, in NSW Government Gazette No.47, Special Supplement, 2 April 2007, pp.2103-2104.
3. Department of Energy, Utilities and Sustainability, www.deus.nsw.gov.au (cited 9 May 2007).
4. Public Sector Employment and Management (General) Order 2007, cl.20 in NSW Government Gazette No.47, Special Supplement, 2 April 2007, p.2106.
5. ibid., p.2106.
6. Public Sector Employment and Management (Departmental Amalgamations) Order 2009 (2009 No 352); notified on NSW Legislation website, 27 July 2009.
7. ibid., cl.10-11.
8. ibid., cl.16.