The Department of the Environment and Water Resources (DEW), formely the Department of Environment and Heritage (DEH) is a department of the Australian federal government. It is responsible for protecting and conserving Australia's natural environment and cultural heritage. The stated aims of the department is to achieve the following: protection and conservation of the environment; to ensure that Australia benefits from meteorological and related sciences and services; and to see that Australia's interests in Antarctica are advanced. The Minister leading the department in 2007 is the Hon. Malcolm Turnbull. Judicial High Court Lower Courts Constitution State and territory governments Executive Governors and Administrators Premiers and Chief Ministers Legislative Parliaments and Assemblies State electoral systems ACT - NSW - NT - Qld. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... Malcolm Turnbull Malcolm Bligh Turnbull (born 24 October 1954), Australian politician, was elected to the Australian House of Representatives in October 2004 for the Division of Wentworth, New South Wales, representing the Liberal Party. ...

The department manages a number of major programs. The most significant of those dealing with natural resource management come under the umbrella of the Natural Heritage Trust and the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality. Both the Trust and National Action Plan are administered jointly with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry is an branch of the Australian Federal government. ...

Divisions of the Department include the Australian Antarctic Division, Supervising Scientist Division, Heritage Division, Parks Australia, plus a number of executive agencies and statutory authorities. The Australian Antarctic Division (AAD), of the Australian Department of the Environment and Heritage, manages Australias four Antarctic stations, as well as Heard Island, as part of the Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions. ...

The Department of the Environment and Water Resources administers environmental laws, including the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and a range of other Acts. It is also responsible for Australia's participation in a number of international environmental agreements. The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) is an Act of the Parliament of Australia that provides a framework for protection of the Australian environment, including its biodiversity and its natural and culturally significant places. ...

The department administers the Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and the McDonald Islands (through the Antarctic Division), and oversees certain policy areas in Norfolk Island.

See also: Protected areas of Australia Protected areas of Australia are maintained by the Department of the Environment and Heritage, with the exception of the Great Barrier Reef, which is managed by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, a body within the department. ...

External link

• Department of the Environment and Water Resources website