We’re an Australian Government agency. Our decisions must be transparent. Our policies credible. Our practices fair and ethical.
We strive to deliver efficient and accountable services to the public.
We must meet certain reporting requirements. This includes obligations under the:
- Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013
- Public Service Act 1999
- Freedom of Information Act 1982
- Government Procurement (Judicial Review) Act 2018
Annual report
Our annual reports show our activities, achievements and performance for each financial year.
Budgets
Our budget statements detail how we will use our allocated funds each financial year.
Corporate plan
Our corporate plan sets out our goals and how we will measure our performance.
Freedom of information (FOI)
You can request some types of information from us under FOI laws.
Information Publication Scheme
The Information Publication Scheme sets out what we must publish on our website.
Public Interest Certificates
The department publishes Public Interest Certificates under the Government Procurement (Judicial Review) Act 2018.
Reporting obligations
We have other reporting commitments.
This includes information released:
- by Senate order
- by agreement of department Secretaries
- under direction of the Australian Public Service Commission
Portfolio Audit Committee
The Portfolio Audit Committee was established by the accountable authorities of the former Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, the Director of National Parks, and the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust (the entities) in compliance with section 45 of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (PGPA Act) and section 17 of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Rule 2014 (PGPA Rule).
This committee provides independent advice to the secretary (as the accountable authority) on the department's risk, finance, control and compliance frameworks and its external accountability responsibilities.
The accountable authority must, by written charter, determine the functions of the audit committee that is established for the entity as required by subsection 45(1) of the Act.
Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP)
The Emissions Reduction Plan guides the department to reduce operational emissions to help us meet the APS Net Zero 2030 target. It sets out the approach, priorities and actions to take.
We review our ERP yearly, and a summary is in each annual report.
People Strategy and Action Plan
The People Strategy 2024–2026 outlines the department’s commitment to supporting staff in the workplace. It celebrates how far we have come as a department, as well as calling out the areas that need our attention.
The actions set out in our People Strategy were developed in consultation with our staff and will help us:
- achieve our corporate objectives
- establish foundational processes, systems, and policies.