In a shock announcement, the 10-year tenure of Scott Hansen as director general of the NSW Department of Primary Industries has come to an end, coincidentally on the anniversary of when Mr Hansen was offered the position in January 2014.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Mr Hansen is based in Orange and works out of the Orange DPI office.
ACM understands the secretary of the Department of Regional NSW Rebecca Fox made the decision to terminate Mr Hansen upon the completion of a review of the departments which sit within the Regional NSW cluster, including the NSW Department of Primary Industries.
Through the decade, having worked with five agriculture/primary industries ministers, Mr Hansen made a substantial contribution to assisting the state's producers and communities through difficult times, including droughts, COVID-19, fires, floods, and biosecurity incidents.
In working with ministers Katrina Hodgkinson (2014-15), Niall Blair (2015-2019), Adam Marshall (2019-2021), Dugald Saunders (2021-2023) and Tara Moriarty (2023), Mr Hansen played a major role in supporting the establishment of the newly formed Local Land Services, introducing the Marine Estate Management Act 2014, introducing the Biosecurity Act 2015, securing $150m for investment into NSW DPI research stations, introducing the Right to Farm Act 2019, amending the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979, battling a Japanese encephalitis disease outbreak and Varroa mite in bees, preparing for a potential foot and mouth disease or lumpy skin disease incursion, and creating a legislated Independent Biosecurity Commissioner for NSW with the Biosecurity Amendment (Independent Biosecurity Commissioner) Bill 2023.
All while assisting to grow NSW producers' gross value of production to the largest on record.
ACM as seen a letter Mr Hansen sent out to the more than 2500 staff at NSW DPI, in which he notified them of his termination and thanked them for their support.
The letter also said Mr Hansen believes his achievements were only possible through the work of the dedicated team in NSW DPI.
"The secretary of regional NSW advised me that she is finalising the Functional Review of the Department of Regional NSW and will be making changes to the department, which include changes to the leadership team. As such I will be leaving the department with effect today," the letter said.
"For all the highlights over the 10 years, and there are many, the best have been the friendships and connections made.
"Ten years in one role is testament to how much I have enjoyed getting up each day to work with you to help make primary industries stronger.
"My passion is primary industries and the people that comprise it across the country."
