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Director General's foreword

This revised corporate plan sets out the current directions and priorities for the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water (DECCW). It reflects the inclusion of the NSW Office of Water within the department and changes in our operating environment.

The 2010 NSW State Plan sets targets for measuring our work, with additions notably in the areas of waste recycling and managing water resources. It also establishes a new focus on green jobs.

Climate change continues as a priority area for DECCW, where we lead development and oversee the delivery of climate change programs, both in mitigation and adaptation, and in energy efficiency programs for NSW.

Protecting our natural resources and biodiversity through partnerships with catchment management authorities, local councils, Aboriginal communities, land owners and the broader NSW community remains an important theme. It includes our responsibilities to secure sustainable water supplies and to use NSW’s water resources more wisely, through actions to increase water recycling, improve water efficiency and reduce water demand.

We will continue to formulate robust environmental policies and pursue sophisticated regulatory systems with an adaptability to respond to emerging challenges in air quality, chemical and waste management, native vegetation and biodiversity conservation, water management and Aboriginal cultural heritage management. This means continued pursuit of innovation to maintain NSW’s high environmental standards, while reducing unnecessary red tape for business and the community.

The State Plan sets a target to have more people visiting and enjoying parks. This means broadening tourism opportunities and visitor experiences in parks and gardens to boost people’s enjoyment of nature, promote active health, foster science and education and contribute to regional economies. It also entails building further partnerships with Aboriginal people, for whom connection to Country is critical for the maintenance of culture and improved social wellbeing. At the same time we are pursuing excellence in reserve management, with an ongoing emphasis on tackling fire, pest animals and weeds.

Our commitment to our own organisational environmental performance through our participation in Sustainability Advantage builds our continued credibility as a leading environmental agency, through ongoing engagement with everyone in DECCW.

This plan is to be used as the basis for strategic and operational planning within our respective work areas. The Executive has commenced work that will underpin our next corporate plan, based on a more detailed consideration of emerging opportunities and government priorities. I look forward to providing staff with the opportunity to contribute to this work later in the year.

Lisa Corbyn
Director General