Departments

Government departments are established under section 104 of the Public Sector Employment and Management Act 2002. This Act provides for the Governor to create or abolish a department of the public service of New South Wales.

Departments are established to administer the policies of the Government and to provide such services as required under legislation. The role of the department may vary depending on the type of activity it undertakes, though most will provide a combination of policy advice to the Government and services to the public. There is a wide range of departments which cover all areas of Government activity such as education, health and transport.

The head of the department is responsible to the Minister for the implementation of policies and the provision of services. The department is staffed by public servants who are employed under the Public Sector Employment and Management Act 2002.

Departments may also be required to advise the Minister and to regulate a range of activities that are undertaken by a statutory authority. A statutory authority is a Government agency that is established under a separate Act. The act will also stipulate the types of functions it must undertake, which makes it different from a department.

You can find out more about Departments and Authorities in HR eXpert. The HR eXpert Agency List Inquiry allows you to access a comprehensive agency list which provides details of NSW and other Australian government agencies.
 
You can search the list to find individual agencies, using any of the names they are known by. This will provide details of the agency and allow you to track them over time by identifying their predecessors and successors. You can also download an excel spreadsheet which contains details of all agencies in the list.