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| Department of State Growth | |
|---|---|
| Agency name | Department of State Growth |
| Formed | 2014 |
| Preceding agencies | Department of Economic Development, Tourism and the Arts; Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources |
| Jurisdiction | Tasmania |
| Headquarters | Hobart |
| Minister | Minister for State Growth |
| Chief executive | Secretary |
Department of State Growth is the Tasmanian executive agency responsible for implementing policies and programs to promote economic development across Tasmania, including infrastructure investment, industry development, tourism promotion and energy policy. It coordinates with ministers, state agencies and local authorities to deliver transport projects, support for small businesses, cultural institutions and land-use planning. The department has overseen major projects linking regional development, resource management and public works since its formation from predecessor entities.
The department was established in 2014 by consolidation of functions previously performed by the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and the Arts and the Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources, reflecting a policy shift under the Giddings Ministry toward integrated development delivery. Its antecedents trace to earlier Tasmanian bodies such as the Department of Primary Industry and Water and the Department of Tourism, Arts and the Environment. Throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, Tasmanian administrations including the Rundle Ministry, Earle Ministry and Tasmanian Liberal Party governments restructured portfolios to align with priorities set during events like the Global Financial Crisis and commodity market changes. Major milestones include responsibility transfers following state budgets and statutory changes enacted in the Parliament of Tasmania.
The department’s remit includes strategic planning for transport links such as highways and aviation, support for the tourism sector exemplified by coordination with entities linked to the Tourism Tasmania brand, facilitation of trade and investment akin to roles played by Trade and Investment Queensland, and energy policy development interacting with utilities comparable to Hydro Tasmania. It provides services supporting small and medium enterprises, regional development programs in areas like King Island and Northwest Tasmania, and cultural funding that affects institutions such as the Museum of Old and New Art and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. The department also administers land-use planning frameworks that intersect with statutory instruments debated in the Supreme Court of Tasmania and planning tribunals.
The department is led by a Secretary reporting to the Premier of Tasmania and the designated Minister for State Growth. Divisions mirror conventional public-sector portfolios: Infrastructure and Transport, Industry and Business Development, Tourism and Events, Energy and Resources, and Corporate Services. Senior executive roles interact with statutory authorities and boards similar in governance terms to the Tasmanian Planning Commission and Economic Regulator of Tasmania. The organizational model enables collaboration with regional councils like the City of Hobart and state statutory entities including Infrastructure Tasmania.
Key components include Infrastructure Tasmania-style planning units, energy policy divisions working alongside Hydro Tasmania and the Australian Energy Market Operator, a tourism and events branch coordinating with MONA FOMA and regional festivals, and business support units that mirror programs from the Department of Industry, Science and Resources. Regulatory interfaces connect with the Environmental Management and Pollution Control Act administration and licensing bodies resembling the Mineral Resources Tasmania framework. The department also liaises with federal counterparts such as the Commonwealth of Australia agencies during joint initiatives.
Major projects overseen include maritime and port upgrades at facilities comparable to Devonport and Bell Bay, road upgrades on corridors analogous to the Bass Highway, and regional economic development programs targeting sectors like aquaculture in areas similar to TASMANIAN Rock Lobster fisheries and renewable energy projects tied to wind and hydro resources. The department has been involved in event attraction and infrastructure works supporting cultural programs like the Ten Days on the Island festival and business precinct developments that intersect with proposals for university-campus collaborations referencing institutions such as the University of Tasmania.
Funding for the department is allocated through the annual state budget passed by the Parliament of Tasmania and supplemented by federal grants negotiated with the Commonwealth Grants Commission and bilateral infrastructure funds from the Australian Government. Revenue streams include capital appropriations for major works, recurrent funding for program delivery, and cost-recovery from statutory licensing. Financial oversight aligns with frameworks used by other Australian state departments and is influenced by fiscal policy decisions made in state budget papers and intergovernmental agreements such as those coordinated with the Council on Federal Financial Relations.
The department is accountable to the Minister for State Growth and to the Parliament of Tasmania through budget estimates, annual reports and parliamentary committees including the Public Accounts Committee. Administrative review and audit functions are performed by bodies comparable to the Auditor-General of Tasmania, while statutory compliance is subject to judicial review in the Supreme Court of Tasmania and investigation by ombudsman offices akin to the Ombudsman Tasmania. Transparency mechanisms include ministerial statements, procurement rules consistent with Australian standards and stakeholder engagement with local government associations such as the Local Government Association of Tasmania.
Category:Tasmanian government departments and agencies