Items medium note

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Central Office was established on 21 October 1998 pursuant to the Administrative Arrangements Order of that date.

The department was abolished on 18 September 2013 under the Administrative Arrangement Orders of that day. The functions of the department were transferred with only minor changes to the new Department of Agriculture (CA 9430).

At its inception the Department dealt with the following principal matters:

Agricultural, pastoral, fishing, food and forest industries
Water, soils and other natural resources
Rural adjustment and drought issues
Rural industries inspection and quarantine
Primary industries research including economic research
Commodity marketing, including export promotion end agribusiness
Commodity-specific international organisations and activities
Administration of international commodity agreements
Administration of export controls on agricultural, fisheries and
forestry industries products
Food policy, processing and exports

The Department administers the following legislation:

Agricultural and Veterinary Chemical Products (Collection of Interim
Levy) Act 1994
Agricultural and Veterinary Chemical Products (Collection of Levy)
Act 1994
Agricultural and Veterinary Chemical Products Interim Levy Imposition
(Customs) Act 1994
Agricultural and Veterinary Chemical Products Interim Levy Imposition
(Excise) Act 1994
Agricultural and Veterinary Chemical Products Interim Levy Imposition
(General) Act 1994
Agricultural and Veterinary Chemical Products Levy Imposition
(Customs) Act 1994
Agricultural and Veterinary Chemical Products Levy Imposition
(Excise) Act 1994
Agricultural and Veterinary Chemical Products Levy Imposition
(General) Act 1994
Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Act 1994
Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals (Administration) Act 1992
Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Code Act 1994
Apple and Pear Export Charge Act 1976
Apple and Pear Levy Act 1976
Australian Animal Health Council (Live-stock Industries) Funding Act
1996
Australian Horticultural Corporation Act 1987
Australian Horticultural Corporation (Transitional Provisions and
Consequential Amendments) Act 1987
Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry Act 1997
Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry (Repeals and Consequential
Provisions) Act 1997
Australian Meat and Live Stock Legislation (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act 1985
Australian Meat and Live-stock (Quotas) Act 1990
Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation Act 1980
Australian Wool Research and Promotion Organisation Act 1993
Ballast Water Research and Development Funding Levy Act 1998
Ballast Water Research and Development Funding Levy Collection Act
1998
Beef Production Levy Act 1990
Biological Control Act 1984
Brigalow Lands Agreement Act 1962
Buffalo Export Charge Act 1997
Buffalo Slaughter Levy Act 1997
Cattle (Exporters) Export Charge Act 1997
Cattle (Producers) Export Charges Act 1997
Cattle Transactions Levy Act 1997
Chowilla reservoir Agreement Act 1963
Coarse Grains Levy Act 1992
Coarse Grains Levy (Consequential Provisions) Act 1992
Cotton Levy Act 1982
Dairy Adjustment Act 1974
Dairy Industry Adjustment Act 2000
Dairy Industry Service Reform Act 2003
Dairy Industry Stabilization Levy (Termination of Levy) Act 1986
Dairy Legislation (Transitional Provisions and Consequential
Amendments) Act 1986
Dairy Industry Research and Promotion Levy Collection Acts
Dairy Produce Act 1986
Dairy Produce Levy Acts
Dartmouth Reservoir Agreement Act 1970
Deer Export Charge Act 1992
Deer Slaughter Levy Act 1992
Deer Velvet Export Charge Act 1992
Deer Velvet Levy Act 1992
Domestic Meat Premises Charge Act 1993
Dried Fruits Levy Act 1971
Dried Sultana Production Underwriting Act 1982
Dried Vine Fruits Equalization Act 1978
Dried Vine Fruits Equalization Levy Act 1978
Dried Vine Fruits Stabilization Legislation (Repeal) Act 1981
Egg Industry Service Provision Act 2002
Egg Industry Service Provision (Transitional and Consequential Provisions) Act 2002
Exotic Animal Disease Control Act 1989
Export Control Act 1982
Export Inspection and Meat Charges Collection Act 1985
Export Inspection (Establishment Registration Charges) Act 1985
Export Inspection (Quantity Charge) Act 1985
Export Inspection (Service Charge) Act 1985
Farm Household Support Act 1992
Fisheries Act 1952
Fisheries Administration Act 1991
Fisheries Agreements (Payments) Act 1991
Fisheries Legislation Amendment Act (No. 1) 1998
Fisheries Legislation (Consequential Provisions) Act 1991
Fisheries Levy Act 1984
Fisheries Management Act 1991
Fishing Levy Act 1991
Foreign Fishing Boats Levy Act 1981
Foreign Fishing Licences Levy Act 1991
Forest Industries Research Export Charge Act 1993
Forest Industries Research Import Charge Act 1993
Forest Industries Research Levy Act 1993
Forestry and Timber Bureau Act 1930
Goat Fibre Levy Act 1989
Grain Legumes Levy Act 1985
Grape Research Levy Act 1986
Honey Export Charge Act 1973
Honey Legislation (Repeal and Amendment) Act 1992
Honey Levy Acts
Horticultural Export Charge Act 1987
Horticultural Levy Act 1987
Horticultural Policy Council Act 1987
Horticultural Research and Development Corporation Act 1987
Imported Food Control Act 1992
Income Equalization Deposits (Interest Adjustment) Act 1984
Laying Chicken Levy Act 1988
Live-stock (Exporters) Export Charge Act 1997
Live-stock (Producers) Export Charges Act 1997
Live-stock Slaughter (Processors) Levy Act 1997
Live-stock Transactions Levy Act 1997
Loan (Income Equalization Deposits) Act 1976
Meat Chicken Levy Act 1969
Meat Export Charge Act 1984
Meat Export Charge Collection Act 1984
Meat Inspection Act 1983
Meat Inspection Arrangements Act 1964
Morgan-Whyalla Waterworks Agreement Act 1940
Murray-Darling Basin Act 1993
National Cattle Disease Eradication Reserve Act 1991
National Cattle Disease Eradication Trust Account Act 1991
National Residue Survey Administration Act 1992
National Residue Survey Levy Acts
National Residue Survey (Consequential Provisions) Act 1992
Natural Resources Management (Financial Assistance) Act 1992
New South Wales Grant(Leeton Co-operative Cannery Limited) Act 1971
Northern Prawn Fishery Voluntary Adjustment Scheme Loan Guarantee Act 1985
Oilseeds Levy Act 1977
Pasture Seed Levy Act 1989
Pig Industry Act 1986
Pig Industry (Transitional Provisions) Act 1986
Pig Slaughter Levy Act 1971

Plant Breeders Rights Act 1994
Plant Health Australia (Plant Industries) Funding Act 2002
Primary Industries and Energy Research and Development Act 1989
Primary Industries (Excise) Levies (GST Consequential Amendments) Act 2000
Primary Industries Levies and Charges Collection Act 1991
Primary Industries Levies and Charges Collection (Consequential Provisions) Act 1991
Primary Industry Council Act 1991
Quarantine Act 1908, in relation to animal, plant and general quarantine
Quarantine (Validation of Fees) Act 1985, in relation to animal, plant and general quarantine
Queensland Flood Relief Act 1974
Queensland Grant (Proserpine Flood Mitigation) Act 1976
Queensland Tobacco Leaf Marketing Board Guarantee Act 1953
Re-establishment and Employment Act 1945, Part III in relation to rural training; Division 1 of Part XI insofar as it extends the foregoing; and Part XII, insofar as it applies or may be applied in relation to the foregoing
Regional Forest Agreements Act 2002
Rice Levy Act 1991
Rural Adjustment Act 1992
Sewerage Agreements Acts
Softwood Forestry Agreements Acts
States and Northern Territory Grants (Rural Adjustment) Acts
States Grants (Beef Industry) Act 1975
States Grants (Rural Adjustment) Acts
States Grants (Rural Reconstruction) Acts
States Grants (War Service Land Settlement) Act 1952
State Grants (Water Resources Measurement) Act 1970
Statutory Fishing Rights Charge Act 1991
Sugar Cane Levy Act 1987
Tasmanian Native Forestry Agreement Acts
Torres Strait Fisheries Act 1984
United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization Act 1944
Western Australia Agreement (Ord River Irrigation) Acts
Western Australia (Northern Development) Agreement Act 1963
Wheat Industry Fund Levy Act 1989
Wheat Marketing Act 1989
Wheat Marketing Amendment Act 1997
Wheat Marketing Legislation Amendment Act 1998
Wine Export Charge Act 1997
Wine Grapes Levy Act 1979
Wool International Act 1993
Wool Legislation (Repeals and Consequential Provisions) Act 1993

In the Amending Administrative Arrangement Order of 26 November 2001, (Commonwealth of Australia Special Gazette No. S 468. 26 November 2001), responsibility for administering the following legislation was moved from the Department:

Apple and Pear Export Charge Act 1976
Apple and Pear Levy Act 1976
Australian Horticultural Corporation Act 1987
Australian Horticultural Corporation (Transitional Provisions and Consequential
Amendments) Act 1987
Australian Wool Research and Promotion Organisation Act 1993
Beef Production Levy Act 1990
Buffalo Export Charge Act 1997
Buffalo Slaughter Levy Act 1997
Cattle (Exporters) Export Charge Act 1997
Cattle (Producers) Export Charges Act 1997
Cattle Transactions Levy Act 1997
Coarse Grains Levy Act 1992
Cotton Levy Act 1982
Dairy Industry Research and Promotion Levy Collection Acts
Dairy Produce Levy Acts
Deer Export Charge Act 1992
Deer Slaughter Levy Act 1992
Deer Velvet Export Charge Act 1992
Deer Velvet Levy Act 1992
Dried Fruits Levy Act 1971
Dried Sultana Production Underwriting Act 1982
Dried Vine Fruits Equalization Act 1978
Dried Vine Fruits Equalization Levy Act 1978
Dried Fruits Stabilization Legislation (Repeal) Act 1981
Exotic Animal Disease Control Act 1989
Forest Industries Research Export Charge Act 1993
Forest Industries Research Import Charge Act 1993
Forest Industries Research Levy Act 1993
Goat Fibre Levy Act 1989
Grain Legumes Levy Act 1985
Grape Research Levy Act 1986
Honey Export Charge act 1973
Honey Levy Acts
Horticultural Export Charge Act 1987
Horticultural Levy Act 1987
Horticultural Policy Council Act 1987
Horticultural Research and Development Corporation Act 1987
Income Equalisation Deposits (Interest Adjustment) Act 1984
Laying Chicken Levy Act 1988
Live-stock (Exporters) Export Charge Act 1997
Live-stock (Producers) Export Charges Act 1997
Live-stock Slaughter (Processors) Levy Act 1997
Live-stock Transactions Levy Act 1997
Meat Chicken Levy 1969
Oilseeds Levy Act 1977
Pasture Seed Levy Act 1989
Pig Industry Act 1986
Pig Industry (Transitional Provisions) Act 1986
Pig Slaughter Levy Act 1971
Re-establishment and Employment Act 1945, Part III in relation to rural
training; Division 1 of Part XI insofar as it extends the foregoing; and Part
XII, insofar as it applies or may be applied in relation to the foregoing
Rice Levy Act 1991
Wheat Industry Fund Levy Act 1989
Wine Export Charge Act 1997
Wine Grapes Levy Act 1979

In the same Order the Department gained responsibility for administration of the following legislation:

Dairy Adjustment Levy (Customs) Act 2000
Dairy Adjustment Levy (Excise) Act 2000
Dairy Adjustment Levy (General) Act 2000
Dried Vine Fruits (Rate of Primary Industry (Customs Charge) Validation Act
2001
Dried Vine Fruits (Rate of Primary Industry (Excise) Levy) Validation Act 2001
Horticulture Marketing and Research and Development Services Act 2000
Horticulture Marketing and Research and Development (Repeals and Consequential
Provisions) Act 2000
National Residue Survey (Consequential Provisions) Act 1992
National Residue Survey Levies Regulations (Validation and Commencement of
Amendments) Act 1999
Pig Industry Act 2001
Primary Industries (Customs) Charges Act 1999
Primary Industries (Excise) Levies Act 1999
Wool International Privatisation Act 1999
Wool Services Privatisation Act 2000

In the Administrative Arrangements Order of 30 January 2007, announced in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette (Special) No S 17, the following changes in connection to matters administered by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry were noted:

* ‘Water, soils and other natural resources’ was omitted, having been transferred to the Department of Environment and Water Resources (CA 9160).
* ‘Soil and other natural resources’ was added

In the same Administrative Arrangements Order, the following legislation administered by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry was removed:

Chowchilla Reservoir Agreement Act 1963
Dartmouth Reservoir Agreement Act 1970
Morgan-Whyalla Waterworks Agreement Act 1940
Murray-Darling Basin Act 1993
Sewerage Agreements Acts
State Grants (Water Resources Measurement) Act 1970
Western Australia Agreement (Ord River Irrigation) Acts
Western Australia (South-West Region Water Supplies) Agreement Act 1965

The administration of this legislation was transferred to the Department of Environment and Water Resources (CA 9160).

In the Administrative Arrangements Order of 8 March 2010 (Commonwealth Gazette No. S27 of 10 March 2010), the following change to the legislation administered by the Department was made:

Omit: Natural Resource Management (Financial Assistance) Act 1992, except to the extent administered by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts

Substitute: Natural Resource Management (Financial Assistance) Act 1992, except to the extent administered by the Minister for Environment Protection, Heritage and the Arts

The Coal Export Levy Act 1954 and the Sales Tax Assessment Act 1955 were repealed in 1956 and therefore did not appear in the listing of legislation administered by the department
Policies and programs
As at 24 July 2009, the policies and programs developed and delivered by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry were to:

* encourage and support sustainable natural resource use and management
* protect the health and safety of plant and animal industries
* enable industries to adapt to compete in a fast-changing international and economic environment.
* help improve market access and market performance for the agricultural and food sector
* encourage and assist industries to adopt new technology and practices, and
* assist primary producers and the food industry to develop business and marketing skills, and to be financially self-reliant.

The Administrative Arrangements Order of 14 September 2010 the matter ‘Food policy, processing and exports’ had been replaced by ‘Food security policy and programs’ (the matter ‘Food industry policy’ was allocated to CA 9186 Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research). Also, the matter ‘Water policy and resources’ was by then allocated to CA 9334 Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities.

As of the Administrative Arrangements Order of 14 October 2010, the matters dealt with by the Department were as follows;

Agricultural, pastoral, fishing, food and forest industries
Soils and other natural resources
Rural adjustment and drought issues
Rural industries inspection and quarantine
Primary industries research including economic research
Commodity marketing, including export promotion and agribusiness
Commodity-specific international organisations and activities
Administration of international commodity agreements
Administration of export controls on agricultural, fisheries and forestry industries products
Food security policy and programs

As of the same Administrative Arrangements Order of the 14 October 2010, the legislation administered by the Department are as follows;

Agricultural and Veterinary Chemical Products (Collection of Levy) Act 1994
Agricultural and Veterinary Chemical Products Levy Imposition (Customs) Act 1994
Agricultural and Veterinary Chemical Products Levy Imposition (Excise) Act 1994
Agricultural and Veterinary Chemical Products Levy Imposition (General) Act 1994
Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Act 1994
Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals (Consequential Amendments) Act 1994
Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals (Administration) Act 1992
Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Code Act 1994
Australian Animal Health Council (Live-stock Industries) Funding Act 1996
Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry Act 1997
Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry (Repeals and Consequential Provisions) Act 1997
Australian Meat and Live-stock Legislation (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act 1985
Australian Meat and Live-stock (Quotas) Act 1990
Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation Act 1980
Ballast Water Research and Development Funding Levy Act 1998
Biological Control Act 1984
Coarse Grains Levy (Consequential Provisions) Act 1992
Dairy Adjustment Act 1974
Dairy Adjustment Levy Termination Act 2008
Dairy Industry Adjustment Act 2000
Dairy Industry Service Reform Act 2003
Dairy Industry Stabilization Levy (Termination of Levy) Act 1986
Dairy Legislation (Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Act 1986
Dairy Produce Act 1986
Domestic Meat Premises Charge Act 1993
Dried Vine Fruits (Rate of Primary Industry (Customs) Charge) Validation Act 2001
Dried Vine Fruits (Rate of Primary Industry (Excise) Levy) Validation Act 2001
Egg Industry Service Provision Act 2002
Egg Industry Service Provision (Transitional and Consequential Provisions) Act 2002
Export Control Act 1982
Export Inspection and Meat Charges Collection Act 1985
Export Inspection (Establishment Registration Charges) Act 1985
Export Inspection (Quantity Charge) Act 1985
Export Inspection (Service Charge) Act 1985
Farm Household Support Act 1992
Farm Household Support Amendment (Additional Drought Assistance Measures) Act 2008
Fisheries Administration Act 1991
Fisheries Agreements (Payments) Act 1991
Fisheries Legislation Amendment (New Governance Arrangements for the Australian Fisheries Management Authority and Other Matters) Act 2008
Fisheries Legislation (Consequential Provisions) Act 1991
Fisheries Levy Act 1984
Fisheries Management Act 1991
Fisheries (Validation of Plans of Management) Act 2004
Fishing Levy Act 1991
Foreign Fishing Licences Levy Act 1991
Forestry and Timber Bureau Act 1930
Forestry Marketing and Research and Development Services Act 2007
Forestry Marketing and Research and Development Services (Transitional and Consequential Provisions) Act 2007
Horticulture Marketing and Research and Development Services Act 2000
Horticulture Marketing and Research and Development Services (Repeals and Consequential Provisions) Act 2000
Household Stimulus Package Act (No. 2) 2009, Schedule 4, insofar as it relates to legislation administered by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Imported Food Control Act 1992
Meat Export Charge Act 1984
Meat Export Charge Collection Act 1984
Meat Inspection Act 1983
Meat Inspection Arrangements Act 1964
National Cattle Disease Eradication Account Act 1991
National Residue Survey Administration Act 1992
National Residue Survey Levy Acts
National Residue Survey (Consequential Provisions) Act 1992
National Residue Survey Levies Regulations (Validation and Commencement of Amendments) Act 1999
Natural Resources Management (Financial Assistance) Act 1992, except to the extent administered by the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities
Pig Industry Act 2001
Pig Industry (Transitional Provisions) Act 1986
Plant Health Australia (Plant Industries) Funding Act 2002
Primary Industries and Energy Research and Development Act 1989
Primary Industries Levies and Charges Collection Act 1991
Primary Industries Levies and Charges Collection (Consequential Provisions) Act 1991
Primary Industries (Customs) Charges Act 1999
Primary Industries (Excise) Levies Act 1999
Primary Industries (Excise) Levies (GST Consequential Amendments) Act 2000
Primary Industry Councils Act 1991
Quarantine Act 1908, in relation to animal, plant and general quarantine
Quarantine (Validation of Fees) Act 1985, in relation to animal, plant and general quarantine
Regional Forest Agreements Act 2002
Rural Adjustment Act 1992
States and Northern Territory Grants (Rural Adjustment) Acts
States Grants (Beef Industry) Act 1975
States Grants (Rural Adjustment) Acts
States Grants (War Service Land Settlement) Act 1952
Statutory Fishing Rights Charge Act 1991
Torres Strait Fisheries Act 1984
United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization Act 1944
Wheat Export Marketing Act 2008
Wool International Act 1993
Wool International Privatisation Act 1999
Wool Legislation (Repeals and Consequential Provisions) Act 1993
Wool Services Privatisation Act 2000

Historical address

18 Marcus Clarke Street
Canberra City ACT 2601

Administrative structure

Portfolio
The portfolio consists of the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, including the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS), the Bureau of Rural Sciences (BRS) and the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARE).

Divisional structure

ABARE
Agricultural Productivity Division
Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service
Biosecurity Services Group
Biosecurity Australia
Bureau of Rural Sciences
Climate Change Division
Corporate Finance Division
Corporate Policy Division
Corporate Services Division
Fisheries
Forestry
Product Integrity, Animal and Plant Health Division
Quarantine and Biosecurity Policy Unit
Sustainable Resource Management Division
Trade and Market Access Division

Locations
Executive and Corporate Policy, Trade and Market Access Division, Levies Revenue Services, Agriculture and Productivity Division, Fisheries, Human Resources and Corporate Finance, BRS, AQIS, PIAPH, Information Services, Data Centre and Media Centre, Library and Security.

18 Marcus Clarke Street
Canberra City ACT 2601

Biosecurity Australia, ABARE, Sustainable Resource Management Division

7 London Circuit
Canberra City ACT 2601

Australian Plague Locust Commission

46-56 Collie Street
Fyshwick ACT 2609

Ministers to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry have been:

21 Oct 1998 - 23 Nov 2001: Hon. Mark Vaile
23 Nov 2001 – 06 Jul 2005: Hon. Warren Truss
06 Jul 2004 – 3 Dec 2007: Hon. Peter McGauran
3 Dec 2007 – 14 Sep 2010: Hon. Tony Burke
14 Sep 2010 - : Hon. Joe Ludwig

Secretaries to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry have been:

21 Oct 1998 - 23 Nov 2001 : Mr Ken Matthews
23 Nov 2001 – 26 Oct 2004: Mr M J Taylor
26 Oct 2004 – 7 May 2007: Ms Joanna Hewitt
7 May 2007- : Dr Conall O’Connell

Sources

1. Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No. S 512, 21 October 1998
2. Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No. S 514, 22 October 1998
3. Commonwealth of Australia Special Gazette No. S 468, 26 November 2001
4. Commonwealth of Australia Special Gazette No S 17, 30 January 2007
5. Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry website, www.daffa.gov.au, accessed on 24 July 2009

Historical agency address

Legislation administered