The new Climate Change and Environment Department is set for an overhaul as its secretary moves to align the agency with the Labor government's environmental agenda.
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Secretary David Fredericks last week announced changes setting up the newly-created department to support the Albanese government's bid to update and strengthen Australia's environmental laws and establish an Environmental Protection Agency.
Mr Fredericks, appointed to lead the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water after Labor won government, announced a new taskforce for the two major projects.
His announcement on Thursday is the latest move to structure the public service around Labor's environment agenda, after the Albanese government created the department through a machinery of government change following its election victory.
Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek, who has signalled she wants to work closely with the department, has announced the government will introduce new environmental legislation to parliament next year, and deliver a draft proposal for a new EPA later in 2022.
She also committed to providing a full response to former ACCC chair Graeme Samuel's review of the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act - released in 2021 and recommending major reform - before the end of the year.
Mr Fredericks told staff in an email the department would make major structural changes two months after its creation.
Under changes to its environment protection and reform group, the department will put more resources into environmental legislative reform and the establishment of an EPA, and focus more on First Nations cultural heritage.
The department will create a new group that includes both the Australian Antarctic Division and Parks Australia to give them "focused guidance" from the department's executive leaders.
Its Environment Protection Reform Division will be renamed the First Nations Heritage, Wildlife and Planning Division.
The department's new taskforce - to be created by September 26 and led by acting deputy secretary James Tregurtha - is a direct response to the Albanese government's agenda.
Environment advocates welcomed the move to focus on creating new environmental laws and an EPA.
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The Australian Conservation Foundation's nature program manager Basha Stasak said it was necessary to put more resources into the tasks.
"Australia has one of the world's worst extinction rates and since the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act came into effect more than 20 years ago, the list of threatened species and ecosystems has continued to grow," she said.
"Professor Graeme Samuel's landmark review of Australia's environment laws found them to be out-of-date and ineffective.
"ACF has long argued that Australia needs a well-resourced independent regulator.
"The proposed EPA's data custodian role would help address some of the problems identified by Professor Samuel and would give decision makers, business and the community better access to the best data and the latest science.
"This all needs to be properly resourced in the upcoming budget.
"ACF also warmly welcomes the declared increased emphasis of First Nations cultural heritage within the department."
Climate Council head of advocacy Jennifer Rayner said it was heartening to see the re-establishment of a focused and dedicated climate change department to drive action on the climate crisis.
"It's also positive to see the government thinking hard about how it sets that department up to deliver on this essential task," Dr Rayner said.
The Australia Institute climate and energy program director Richie Merzian said the departmental restructure signalled the government wanted to move quickly on environmental reforms.
The departmental changes will coincide with a series of new appointments to senior roles in the department. NSW Department of Planning and Environment senior official Dean Knudson will become deputy secretary for environment protection and reform, and First Nations' cultural heritage.
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet official Simon Duggan will be deputy secretary for the energy, electricity, and gas and liquid fuels divisions.
Environment Department senior official Sean Sullivan will be the deputy secretary for the new Australian Antarctic Division and Parks Australia group.
Department senior figures Lyn O'Connell, Jo Evans, James Larsen and Luise McCulloch will remain in their current roles.
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