The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, previously Department of Regional NSW until June 2024, is a department of the New South Wales Government. A central focus for the department is enhancing the liveability of regional and rural communities by strengthening local workforces and attracting key workers, boosting housing, and empowering the diversification of local economies.[1]
The department is a central agency and advises across government on issues affecting the state’s regions, which are home to about one-third of the NSW population.
Key responsibilities of the department also include building stronger primary industries, driving local investment and economic development, brokering solutions to strengthen social cohesion, overseeing productive and sustainable land use and natural resources, and delivering local infrastructure and grant programs.
The department was established as Department of Regional NSW on 2 April 2020 to coordinate support for communities, businesses and farmers hit by the Black Summer bushfires and drought.[2] The department went onto support additional crises including floods and COVID-19, becoming a key voice advocating for local communities within government. It assumed the functions of the Regions, Industry, Agriculture and Resources division from the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment. It also brought together Department of Primary Industries (which was an agency and not a government department), Local Land Services, Resources and Geoscience and regional coordination across the government. On 1 July 2024, the Department of Primary Industries (the agency) was abolished and merged into the department and the latter was renamed to its current name.[3][4]
Structure
The Department is the lead agency in the Regional NSW cluster, led by the Secretary Steve Orr,[3] who reports to the following ministers:[5][6]
Forestry Corporation of NSW (state-owned corporation)
Local Land Services
Mining, Exploration and Geoscience (MEG)
Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation
NSW Resources Regulator
Office of the Cross-Border Commissioner
Public Works
Soil Conservation Service
Office locations
Nearly 80 per cent of the department’s staff live in the regional communities they serve.[9] In June 2020, it was announced that the department will have four offices, located at Queanbeyan, Armidale, Dubbo and Coffs Harbour.[10] Staff are also based in other regional centres, including Wagga Wagga and Nowra.
^"Who we are". Department of Primary Industries. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
^ ab"Governance arrangements chart"(PDF). New South Wales Department of Premier & Cabinet. 3 July 2020. Archived(PDF) from the original on 14 January 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
^"Our Ministers". Department of Regional NSW. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
^"Our work". Department of Regional NSW. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
