Our structure
Our Secretary Richard Bolt leads the department and is supported by the Executive Committee. We advise and support the Minister for Energy and Resources and the Minister for Agriculture.
DPI changes
In August 2008 we outlined a proposal for a change to modernise and improve the delivery of our services to Victorian farmers. These changes will better position us to meet the changing priorities of the farm sector, and align DPI capabilities and services with the new directions set by the Victorian Government's $205 million Future Farming strategy.
Our groups
Our core functions and organisational structure align with key areas of responsibility.
Energy and Earth Resources Group - responsible for the development and regulation of the energy and earth resources industries. This group includes the Energy Resources Development, Energy Sector Development, Earth Resources and Energy Technology Innovation divisions.
Agriculture Research and Development Group – includes the Biosciences Research and Future Farming Systems Research divisions and the Office of Science and Technology Commercialisation. It is also responsible for the Biosciences Research Centre (AgriBio) project.
Agriculture and Fisheries Services Group - includes the divisions of Farm Services, Fisheries and Biosecurity, and the Office of Emergency and Security Planning.
Policy and Strategy Group - manages the delivery of policy and strategy and oversees the department's Cabinet, legislative and ministerial responsibilities for the agriculture, natural resources, energy and earth resources, forestry and strategic policy functions.
Business and Corporate Services Group - manages the corporate framework that directly supports the achievement of departmental objectives, including finance, human resources, communication, knowledge and information technology, facilities management, legal services and governance.
Our Executive Committee
The department's Executive Committee is the primary decision-making committee for the department, and comprises the Secretary and Deputy Secretaries.
Secretary
Richard Bolt
B.E. (Electrical), Master Public Policy & Management
Richard leads the department and the Executive Committee to drive the effective development and delivery of programs and policies to promote sustainable development of primary and energy industries. He provides advice to portfolio Ministers and leads our input to strategic, whole-of-government and inter-government forums. Read the Secretary's full profile.
A/Deputy Secretary, Energy and Earth Resources 
Dr Richard Aldous
Ph.D, DIC, M.Aus IMM
Richard is responsible for providing strategic advice and support on policy, regulation and investment facilitation to the Secretary and Minister for Energy and Resources concerning the energy, minerals and extractive industries. He also oversees energy policy advice and projects and the implementation and further development of the Energy Technology Innovation Strategy.
Deputy Secretary, Policy and Strategy
Dr Deborah Peterson
B.B.S. (Hons), M.Sc., Ph.D, GAICD
Deborah is responsible for providing policy analysis and advice to DPI and its Ministers on agriculture, fisheries, forestry, earth resources, fossil and renewable energy, and energy efficiency. She helps to shape our input to whole-of-government strategies, including climate change, water and regulatory reform. Deborah is also responsible for our corporate and business strategies.
Deputy Secretary, Agriculture Research and Development
Dr Bruce Kefford
B.Sc.(Hons), Ph.D, Graduate Management Qualification (AGSM), FIPAA, MAICD
Bruce is responsible for providing advice to the Secretary and Minister for Agriculture on the sustainable growth of the agriculture and fisheries industries. He is also responsible for biosecurity, research and development, practice-change, investment and emergency response functions.
Deputy Secretary, Agriculture and Fisheries Services
Dr John Skerritt - commences 5 November 2009
Deputy Secretary, Business and Corporate Services
Joanne de Morton
Ass.Dip.Bus (Mktg), Grad. Cert. Public Sector Mgt, Cert. Adv & Media. MPRIA
Joanne is responsible for providing the corporate management framework that directly supports the achievement of departmental objectives. Her major focus is on strengthening the department's reputation by anticipating and preventing corporate risks, providing high-quality corporate governance, and achieving best practice in business and corporate service delivery.