❓ Hon. Kate Doust questions the Minister for Environment regarding the budget, staffing, and future of the Department of Environment and Conservation's climate change unit, revealing significant funding fluctuations and staffing reductions. The government states the unit is being restructured due to national policy changes, but will retain a focus on climate change.
AnsweredQoN 837Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION —
CLIMATE CHANGE UNIT
837. Hon KATE DOUST to the minister representing the
Minister for Environment:
I refer to the Department
of Environment and Conservation's climate change unit, formerly the
office of climate change, and the minister's answer to question without
notice 820.
(1) Does the
climate change unit receive the entire budget and staffing allocation detailed
in the minister's answer; and, if not, what is the unit's share
of those allocations?
(2) Have any
cuts been made to the climate change unit's staffing or operating
budget; and, if so, what are the details of those cuts?
(3) If yes to (2), what section of DEC will take on the work
previously undertaken by the unit?
(4) Does the
government intend to close the climate change unit; and, if so, what are the
details of that intention?
CLIMATE CHANGE UNIT
837. Hon KATE DOUST to the minister representing the
Minister for Environment:
I refer to the Department
of Environment and Conservation's climate change unit, formerly the
office of climate change, and the minister's answer to question without
notice 820.
(1) Does the
climate change unit receive the entire budget and staffing allocation detailed
in the minister's answer; and, if not, what is the unit's share
of those allocations?
(2) Have any
cuts been made to the climate change unit's staffing or operating
budget; and, if so, what are the details of those cuts?
(3) If yes to (2), what section of DEC will take on the work
previously undertaken by the unit?
(4) Does the
government intend to close the climate change unit; and, if so, what are the
details of that intention?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question.
(1) Part of
the budget and staffing allocation for coordinating the response to climate
change relates to the support by the Department of Environment and Conservation
for that service, including a share of the cost and staff who provide corporate
services, as is the case in the budget statements for each of DEC's
services. The climate change unit manages all direct costs and staff directly
involved in coordinating the response to climate change. Based on staffing
levels from 2009–10 to 2011–12, around two-thirds of the human
resources allocated to the climate change service were based in the climate
change unit. The percentage of funds allocated to the unit is significantly
higher than this because it includes the moneys from the low emissions energy
development fund. The total funding allocation to the climate change unit was
$11.376 million for 2009–10; $10.712 million for 2010–11; and,
$18.408 million for 2011–12.
(2) As a
result of the cessation of previous finite funding, the resources allocated to
the climate change unit have reduced from 11.3 full-time equivalents in June
2012 to 4.8 FTEs in 2012–13.
(3) DEC is
restructuring its climate change function in response to changing policy
circumstances. The key drivers of this are the significant legislative, policy
and program changes in climate change at the national level, particularly the
introduction of a carbon price, which commenced on 1 July 2012. Resources for
the adaptation and mitigation policy, as well as management of the LEED fund,
remain.
(4) DEC will retain an important focus on, and role in,
climate change.
(1) Part of
the budget and staffing allocation for coordinating the response to climate
change relates to the support by the Department of Environment and Conservation
for that service, including a share of the cost and staff who provide corporate
services, as is the case in the budget statements for each of DEC's
services. The climate change unit manages all direct costs and staff directly
involved in coordinating the response to climate change. Based on staffing
levels from 2009–10 to 2011–12, around two-thirds of the human
resources allocated to the climate change service were based in the climate
change unit. The percentage of funds allocated to the unit is significantly
higher than this because it includes the moneys from the low emissions energy
development fund. The total funding allocation to the climate change unit was
$11.376 million for 2009–10; $10.712 million for 2010–11; and,
$18.408 million for 2011–12.
(2) As a
result of the cessation of previous finite funding, the resources allocated to
the climate change unit have reduced from 11.3 full-time equivalents in June
2012 to 4.8 FTEs in 2012–13.
(3) DEC is
restructuring its climate change function in response to changing policy
circumstances. The key drivers of this are the significant legislative, policy
and program changes in climate change at the national level, particularly the
introduction of a carbon price, which commenced on 1 July 2012. Resources for
the adaptation and mitigation policy, as well as management of the LEED fund,
remain.
(4) DEC will retain an important focus on, and role in,
climate change.
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