About the Information Publication Scheme
As a result of reforms to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) (the FOI Act) promoting a pro-disclosure culture across Australian government agencies, the Department is required to publish a range of information on its website as part of an Information Publication Scheme (IPS).
This page contains a range of information about the Department that has been published under the IPS. The Department recognises that, as far as reasonably possible, information held by the government should be treated as a national resource. In support of this principle, the Department seeks to publish information on its IPS Page that assists the public to better understand how it makes decisions and administers programs.
Agency plan
The Department’s agency plan sets out the information we propose to publish under the IPS, how and to whom we propose to publish that information and other steps we will take to comply with IPS requirements.
Who we are
The Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism was formed following the 2007 election and is responsible for developing and maintaining government policies and programs for the resources, energy and tourism industries.
The Department only has two statutory appointments:
The Department is part of a larger portfolio consisting of:
What we do
The Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism is responsible for developing and maintaining government policies and programs for the resources, energy and tourism industries. Key objectives of the Department include: achieving strong economic growth; resilient and secure energy systems; equitable distribution of the benefits of Australia's energy, resources and tourism industries; and actively participating in a whole of government approach to domestic and international environmental policy.
The Department’s functions are set out in the Administrative Arrangements Order (AAO) made by the Governor-General. Matters dealt with by this Department include:
- energy policy
- mineral and energy industries, including oil and gas, and electricity
- national energy market
- energy-specific international organisations and activities
- administration of export controls on rough diamonds, uranium and thorium
- minerals and energy resources research, science and technology
- tourism industry
- geoscience research and information services including geodesy, mapping, remote sensing, groundwater and spatial data coordination
- radioactive waste management
- renewable energy technology development
- low emissions fossil fuel energy
- industrial energy efficiency.
Our ‘operational information’ includes policies, guidelines and strategies that assist the Department in performing these functions. These can be accessed from the links below:
Our reports and responses to Parliament
Each financial year, the Department produces three major Statutory Reports:
- Portfolio Budget Statements and Portfolio Additional Estimates Statements—detailed explanations and justifications of the proposed allocation of resources to Government outcomes by agencies within the portfolio, and any additional funding requirements sought by the Department.
- Annual reports—the Secretary’s account to the Minister for Resources, Energy and Tourism of the performance and achievements of the Department and Geoscience Australia for the financial year.
The Department is required to publish information it holds that is routinely provided to Parliament in response to requests and orders from the Parliament. This includes:
Routinely requested information and disclosure log
Information that can be published resulting from Freedom of Information requests and routinely requested information can be found on the Department’s Disclosure Log.
Consultation arrangements
In the event that the Department contributes to a specific policy proposal, public consultation will be taken. External consultation measures may include the release of discussion papers and the use of blog and social media mechanisms.
Our priorities
The Resources, Energy and Tourism sectors are key drivers of the Australian economy underpinning the competitiveness of regions, industries and businesses across the economy. These sectors are at the forefront of the economic and environmental challenges facing Australia, accounting for over 15 per cent of Australia’s GDP, over 60 per cent of Australia’s export earnings and over 40 per cent of Australia’s energy use.
Find out more about the Department’s outlook for the year ahead, our areas of focus and priorities, and how we aim to achieve them:
Our finances
Our submissions
- Submissions to Parliamentary committees and other agencies
Contact us
If you would like to contact us about anything related to the IPS, our details are below:
Legal Section
Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism
GPO Box 1564
CANBERRA ACT 2601
Phone: +61 2 6243 7138
Email: RET-FOI@ret.gov.au