Responsibility for the Digital Transformation Agency will go to the Department of Finance in the new Labor government, while oversight of the Digital Economy previously held by Senator Jane Hume in the Treasury portfolio has been moved to Industry under Ed Husic.
A new department will combine climate change with energy and environment as part of Administrative Arrangement Orders released Wednesday, while Home Affairs’ powers will be scaled back from the “super portfolio” changes that Peter Dutton led in 2017.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the machinery of government changes will be in effect from July to “help deliver better government for all Australians”.
A new Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water will deliver the new government’s agenda of generating more jobs from decarbonisation and to give the environment “the protection it deserves”, the Prime Minister said.
Bringing Energy responsibilities alongside Climate Change and the Environment removes it from the Industry, Science and Resources department where it sat under the Coalition.
Another new Department will be created for Employment and Workplace Relations and include responsibility for skills and training, sending Education back to a standalone Department under new minister Jason Clare.
The Department of Finance has gained responsibility for data policy, including the Digital Transformation Agency (DTA).
Since it was established as the Digital Transformation Office in 2015, the DTA has also been housed in Prime Minister and Cabinet and then the Social Services portfolios, and is currently undergoing a reduction in resources and responsibilities.
Finance will also take responsibility for deregulation from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.
The Attorney General’s Department, now under Mark Dreyfus, has gained responsibility for criminal law enforcement, including the Australian Federal Police which has been with Home Affairs since an overhaul of the portfolio by then Home Affairs minister Peter Dutton.
Under the latest changes, Home Affairs has gained responsibility for natural disaster response and mitigation, including the National Recovery and Resilience Agency which was set up on recommendation by the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements
The Department of Health is being renamed by the Labor government to include Aged Care as a reflection of the new government’s promise to prioritise the sector, while Arts will be returned to the title of the current Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications.
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There must be a reason that taxpayers’ money is still being wasted at the DTA. I just can’t see it. Shutting the doors and sending them home would have been a strategic decision. Then use the money to repair Lismore. Get some actual value for Australia.