We support our ministers to exercise powers under Australian law.
Our secretary and employees exercise any delegated legal powers. The secretary and some employees also have their own, non-delegated powers.
Find all laws we administer and matters relating to us in the Administrative Arrangements Order.
Read our new Regulatory Practice Statement that outlines how we approach our regulatory responsibilities.
Our responsibilities
We are responsible for matters relating to:
- agricultural, pastoral, fishing, food and forest industries
- soils and other natural resources
- rural adjustment and drought issues
- rural industries inspection and quarantine
- primary industries research including economic research
- commodity marketing, including export promotion and agribusiness
- commodity-specific international organisations and activities
- administration of international commodity agreements
- administration of export controls on agricultural, fisheries and forestry industries products
- food security policy and programmes
- water policy and resources
- biosecurity, in relation to animals and plants
- environment protection and conservation of biodiversity
- air quality
- national fuel quality standards
- land contamination
- meteorology
- administration of the Australian Antarctic Territory, and the Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands
- natural, built and cultural heritage
- environmental information and research
- ionospheric prediction
- co-ordination of sustainable communities policy
- urban environment
- environmental water use and resources relating to the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder
Laws and powers
We administer these laws on behalf of our ministers:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984, except to the extent administered by the Attorney‑General
- Agricultural and Veterinary Chemical Products (Collection of Levy) Act 1994
- Agricultural and Veterinary Chemical Products Levy Imposition (Customs) Act 1994
- Agricultural and Veterinary Chemical Products Levy Imposition (Excise) Act 1994
- Agricultural and Veterinary Chemical Products Levy Imposition (General) Act 1994
- Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Act 1994
- Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals (Administration) Act 1992
- Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Code Act 1994
- Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Legislation Amendment Act 2013
- Antarctic Marine Living Resources Conservation Act 1981
- Antarctic Treaty Act 1960
- Antarctic Treaty (Environment Protection) Act 1980
- Australian Animal Health Council (Live-stock Industries) Funding Act 1996
- Australian Antarctic Territory Acceptance Act 1933
- Australian Antarctic Territory Act 1954
- Australian Heritage Council Act 2003
- Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry Act 1997
- Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry (Repeals and Consequential Provisions) Act 1997
- Australian Meat and Live-stock Legislation (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act 1985
- Biological Control Act 1984
- Biosecurity Act 2015, except to the extent administered by the Health Minister
- Biosecurity Charges Imposition (Customs) Act 2015
- Biosecurity Charges Imposition (Excise) Act 2015
- Biosecurity Charges Imposition (General) Act 2015
- Biosecurity (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act 2015, except to the extent administered by the Health Minister
- Dairy Adjustment Levy Termination Act 2008
- Dairy Industry Adjustment Act 2000
- Dairy Industry Service Reform Act 2003
- Dairy Produce Act 1986
- Egg Industry Service Provision Act 2002
- Egg Industry Service Provision (Transitional and Consequential Provisions) Act 2002
- Environment Protection (Alligator Rivers Region) Act 1978
- Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
- Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Act 1981
- Export Charges (Collection) Act 2015
- Export Charges (Imposition—Customs) Act 2015
- Export Charges (Imposition—Excise) Act 2015
- Export Charges (Imposition—General) Act 2015
- Export Control Act 1982
- Export Inspection Charges Collection Act 1985
- Export Inspection (Establishment Registration Charges) Act 1985
- Export Inspection (Quantity Charge) Act 1985
- Export Inspection (Service Charge) Act 1985
- Farm Household Support Act 2014
- Farm Household Support Amendment (Additional Drought Assistance Measures) Act 2008
- Farm Household Support (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Act 2014
- Fisheries Administration Act 1991
- Fisheries Agreements (Payments) Act 1991
- Fisheries Legislation Amendment (New Governance Arrangements for the Australian Fisheries Management Authority and Other Matters) Act 2008
- Fisheries Legislation (Consequential Provisions) Act 1991
- Fisheries Levy Act 1984
- Fisheries Management Act 1991
- Fisheries (Validation of Plans of Management) Act 2004
- Fishing Levy Act 1991
- Foreign Fishing Licences Levy Act 1991
- Forestry Marketing and Research and Development Services Act 2007
- Fuel Quality Standards Act 2000
- Grape and Wine Legislation Amendment (Australian Grape and Wine Authority) Act 2013
- Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975
- Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (Environmental Management Charge—Excise) Act 1993
- Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (Environmental Management Charge—General) Act 1993
- Hazardous Waste (Regulation of Exports and Imports) Act 1989
- Hazardous Waste (Regulation of Exports and Imports) Levy Act 2017
- Heard Island and McDonald Islands Act 1953
- Horse Disease Response Levy Act 2011
- Horse Disease Response Levy Collection Act 2011
- Horticulture Marketing and Research and Development Services Act 2000
- Horticulture Marketing and Research and Development Services (Repeals and Consequential Provisions) Act 2000
- Household Stimulus Package Act (No. 2) 2009, Schedule 4, insofar as it relates to legislation administered by the Agriculture Minister
- Illegal Logging Prohibition Act 2012
- Imported Food Charges (Collection) Act 2015
- Imported Food Charges (Imposition—Customs) Act 2015
- Imported Food Charges (Imposition—Excise) Act 2015
- Imported Food Charges (Imposition—General) Act 2015
- Imported Food Control Act 1992
- Lake Eyre Basin Intergovernmental Agreement Act 2001
- Meteorology Act 1955
- National Cattle Disease Eradication Account Act 1991
- National Environment Protection Council Act 1994
- National Environment Protection Measures (Implementation) Act 1998
- National Residue Survey Administration Act 1992
- National Residue Survey (Consequential Provisions) Act 1992
- National Residue Survey (Customs) Levy Act 1998
- National Residue Survey (Excise) Levy Act 1998
- National Residue Survey Levies Regulations (Validation and Commencement of Amendments) Act 1999
- Natural Heritage Trust of Australia Act 1997
- Natural Resources Management (Financial Assistance) Act 1992
- Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Import Levy) Act 1995
- Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Import Levy) (Transitional Provisions) Act 2014
- Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989
- Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Manufacture Levy) Act 1995
- Pig Industry Act 2001
- Pig Industry (Transitional Provisions) Act 1986
- Plant Health Australia (Plant Industries) Funding Act 2002
- Primary Industries (Customs) Charges Act 1999
- Primary Industries (Excise) Levies Act 1999
- Primary Industries (Excise) Levies (GST Consequential Amendments) Act 2000
- Primary Industries Levies and Charges Collection Act 1991
- Primary Industries Research and Development Act 1989
- Product Emissions Standards Act 2017
- Product Emissions Standards (Customs) Charges Act 2017
- Product Emissions Standards (Excise) Charges Act 2017
- Product Stewardship Act 2011
- Product Stewardship (Oil) Act 2000
- Regional Forest Agreements Act 2002
- Regional Investment Corporation Act 2018
- Removal of Prisoners (Territories) Act 1923, insofar as it relates to the Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands and the Australian Antarctic Territory
- Rural Adjustment Act 1992
- Sea Installations Act 1987
- Sewerage Agreements Acts
- Statutory Fishing Rights Charge Act 1991
- Sugar Research and Development Services Act 2013
- Sydney Harbour Federation Trust Act 2001
- Torres Strait Fisheries Act 1984
- Underwater Cultural Heritage Act 2018
- Underwater Cultural Heritage (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Act 2018
- United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization Act 1944
- Water Act 2007
- Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Act 2005
- Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (Registration Fees) Act 2013
- Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Area Conservation Act 1994
- Wheat Export Marketing Amendment Act 2012
- Wine Australia Act 2013
- Wool International Act 1993
- Wool International Privatisation Act 1999
- Wool Services Privatisation Act 2000