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IRIS Tasmania  >  Governance  >  State Governance  >  Executive

Executive

Tasmania's day-to-day functioning is controlled by its State Service, which is divided into various departments, each carrying out the policy decisions of the State Government and each operating directly under a democratically appointed Minister.

Department of Premier and Cabinet

The Department of Premier and Cabinet administers a diverse range of portfolios:

Department of Treasury and Finance

The Department of Treasury and Finance has responsibility for implementing strategies to achieve the Government's longer-term economic and financial objectives. It provides the Government with objective advice on the economic and financial management of the State, implements Government policy, performs financial analysis, monitoring and reporting functions on behalf of the Government and supports statutory bodies responsible for administering state revenue collection and the regulation of gaming, liquor, energy and prices oversight.

The Department is comprised of the following sections:

  • Economic and Financial Policy
  • Budget and Finance
  • Revenue and Liquor & Gaming and Licensing
  • Corporate Support.

Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources

The Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources (DIER) provides infrastructure for the social and economic development of Tasmania. DIER supports existing economic and social infrastructure and facilitates new development to enable Tasmania to prosper.

The delivery areas within the Department comprise:

  • Infrastructure - policy advice, land transport safety, roads and public transport, rail management
  • Energy - policy advice, regulatory services
  • Resources - forest policy advice, mineral resource management
  • Racing Services - racing industry policy advice and regulatory services.

Department of Economic Development and Tourism

The role of the Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDT) is to lead economic and industry development in Tasmania. DEDT is the first point of contact for companies wishing to establish, relocate, diversify or expand business in Tasmania.

DEDT's services to industry and business include:

  • general information on the Tasmanian business environment and industry sectors
  • helping businesses enter and expand markets outside the State
  • helping businesses become more internationally competitive
  • helping businesses commercialise innovative products and services
  • facilitation of business investment into Tasmania
  • facilitation and support for Tourism
  • Sport and Recreation Tasmania.

Department of Education

The Department of Education (DoE) is responsible for providing public education, vocational education and training, adult and community education, and library and archive services. Services are provided through four major organisational units:

  • Early Years
  • Learning Services
  • Skills Tasmania
  • Community Knowledge Network.

These services are supported by business units responsible for corportate support, policy development, regulation, and assessment and review.

Department of Health and Human Services

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is responsible for delivering integrated health care services through the public hospital system, primary and community health services.

DHHS co-ordinates the delivery of its services through a network of facilities, community services and home-based care. The main service areas are:

  • Human Services
  • Health Services
  • Business Services Network.

Department of Justice

The Department of Justice contributes to a safer and more inclusive community by:

  • promoting, maintaining and enforcing rights and responsibilities
  • facilitating the resolution of disputes
  • supporting and monitoring the initiatives undertaken by the courts, tribunals and statutory officers linked to the agency.

The Department comprises a comparatively large number of functional units, reflecting the constitutional and / or statutory independence of many of those units. Areas of responsibility include:

  • courts and tribunals
  • Crown Law
  • victim support
  • consumer affairs and fair trading
  • adult offenders
  • guardianship
  • independent review
  • births, deaths and marriages.

The Department of Justice also provides administrative support for the Mental Health Tribunal, elections, the court system, the prison system and several independent review authorities.

Department of Police and Emergency Management

The Department of Police and Emergency Management provides a policing and emergency management service across the following areas: 

  • Tasmania Police - includes the Criminal Investigations Branch, Traffic and Crash Investigation, Marine Division, Search and Rescue, Prosecution, Special Operations Group.

    Tasmania Police has an operational strength of around 1247 officers serving four geographical districts: northern, southern, eastern and western. Each district is divided into divisions with Commanders in each district having the responsibility for the delivery of policing services to their respective communities. State service employees of around 492, provide supporting services.
  • State Emergency Services (SES) - provides a response capability for emergency events. The responses may be 'stand alone' or in support of other agencies such as Tasmania Police or Tasmania Fire Service. The SES is also responsible for facilitating emergency planning within the State.
     
  • Forensic Science Services Tasmania - provides forensic chemistry and forensic biology services to State and local government agencies, industry and the general public on a fee for service basis.
  • Tasmanian Fire Service (TFS) - provides a range of services to enhance community safety. The TFS responds to fires and other emergencies and fire brigades assist local communities with advice and support on fire-related matters. The TFS also conducts education and training programs.

Department of Primary Industries and Water

The Department of Primary Industries and Water (DPIW) - primary role is to manage the State's natural resources: air, land, water, plants and animals. DPIW's broad range of services include agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture, quarantine, land and water resource management, nature conservation, Crown land management, biosecurity, land titles, valuation and mapping, and Service Tasmania shop management.

Department of Environment, Parks, Heritage and the Arts

The Department of Environment, Parks, Heritage and the Arts (DEPHA) is responsible for the management of the State's natural, Aboriginal, historic and cultural heritage assets.

DEPHA is divided into seven divisions: the Aboriginal Heritage Office, Arts Tasmania, Parks and Wildlife Service, Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, Heritage Tasmania, the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, and Environment. These divisions are supported by Corporate Services and the Office of the Secretary.

Government Business Enterprises

Government Business Enterprises (GBEs) are Government-owned corporations which operate principally on the basis of funds derived through their operations, and have no impact on State Budget expenditure except in circumstances where they receive funding for community service obligations or receive payments for services provided.

GBEs also may provide returns to the State's Consolidated Fund in the form of dividends to shareholders (the State) and the payment of taxation equivalents and guarantee fees and are subject to the Government Business Enterprises Act 1995.

GBEs are subject to the direction of the Minister and report annually to Parliament on their performance. Their financial arrangements and performance are a matter of public record and scrutiny. They are subject to annual parliamentary scrutiny through public hearings of a GBE Scrutiny Committee.

There are currently eight GBEs in Tasmania:

State Owned Companies

State-owned Companies (SOCs) operate principally on the basis of funds derived through their operations and are subject to Commonwealth Corporations Law.

SOCs have no impact on the Consolidated Fund except in circumstances where they receive payment for services provided by the SOC to the Government, or provide dividends, taxation equivalents or guarantee fees to the Government.

There are currently six State-owned companies in Tasmania:

Other Agencies

Ten government departments are supported by a variety of boards, authorities, commissions, etc that exist to regulate, monitor and assist government.