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Department of Premier and Cabinet

Intergovernmental relations

The Policy Division provides advice and coordinates the Government's involvement in a range of intergovernmental forums at a national and international level, including:

This requires extensive liaison with other Tasmanian Government agencies, to gather information and develop strategic advice to the Premier from a whole-of-government perspective. It also involves consultation with counterparts in the Australian Government and other state and territory governments.

The Policy Division is also responsible for supporting the process by which the Tasmanian Government enters into new agreements with the Australian Government. Further information can be found in the Principles and Process for Commonwealth-State Agreements section below.

Council of Australian Governments

COAG is the peak intergovernmental forum in Australia, and deals with nationally significant policy reform issues that require cooperative action across Australia. It is chaired by the Prime Minister and attended by all Premiers and Chief Ministers, as well as the President of the Australian Local Government Association.

The Policy Division is responsible for coordinating and preparing advice to the Premier on all issues on the COAG agenda, based on input from all Tasmanian Government agencies. The Division works closely with relevant agencies to represent Tasmania on the various working groups that are established to support the operation of COAG. Information about COAG meetings, including communiques regarding meeting outcomes, can be found on the COAG website.

Council for the Australian Federation

CAF was created in 2006 to enable states and territories to work together. The forum is used to develop joint state and territory positions on matters of national significance, and as a strategic body that can help shape and set the national policy agenda.

CAF comprises Premiers and Chief Ministers. Additional information can be found on the CAF website.

Inquiries and Reviews

The Policy Division coordinates and monitors a whole-of-government process governing inquiries and reviews, such as state and national parliamentary inquiries or Productivity Commission projects.

A document to guide Tasmanian Government submissions to inquiries and reviews is provided below:

Tasmanian Government Submissions to Inquires and Reviews Policy.

Please email policy@dpac.tas.gov.au with any queries on these documents or other matters related to inquiries and reviews.

International treaties

The Policy Division also coordinates the Tasmanian Government's comments and input on international treaties negotiated and ratified by the Australian Government.  The Division prepares advice and information from the State's perspective and attends meetings of the Standing Committee of Treaties (SCOT), a national forum of the federal, state and territory governments.

Further information on the treaties process can be found in the Treaties Policy & Procedures ManualPDF icon (PDF).

Principles and Process for Commonwealth-State Agreements

The Tasmanian Government has approved Principles and a Process for entering into new Commonwealth-State Agreements. The Principles and Process are there to support agencies to achieve the best possible outcome for Tasmania and manage financial risks to the State.

Commonwealth-State Agreement Principles for ParticipationPDF icon(PDF)

Commonwealth-State Agreement Approval ProcessPDF icon(PDF)


Further information

Policy Division

Phone: 03 6232 7550
Email: policy.admin@dpac.tas.gov.au

Intergovernmental Relations email contacts:

Treaties matters – scot@dpac.tas.gov.au

Commonwealth-State agreements and COAG-related matters – Tas.IGR@dpac.tas.gov.au

Inquiries – inquiries@dpac.tas.gov.au