Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is the department of the Australian federal government responsible for foreign policy and relations, international aid (using the branding Australian Aid), consular services and trade and investment (including trade and investment promotion Austrade). Australia's total official development assistance (ODA) (USD 3 billion) decreased in 2022 due to differences in Australia's financial year reporting and the timing of its COVID-19-related expenditure, representing 0.19% of gross national income (GNI).[6]

For the Irish department formerly called Foreign Affairs and Trade, see Department of Foreign Affairs (Ireland).
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

The head office of the department in the ACT
Department overview
Formed24 July 1987 (1987-07-24)[1]
Preceding agencies
JurisdictionAustralian Government
HeadquartersBarton, Australian Capital Territory
EmployeesDecrease 5,367 (2,363 deployed overseas)[2]
Annual budgetIncrease A$6.1 billion (2020–21)[3]
Ministers responsible
Department executive
Child agencies
Websitedfat.gov.au

The head of the department is its secretary, presently Jan Adams. She reports to Penny Wong, who has held the position of Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2022.[4]

History

The department finds its origins in two of the seven original Commonwealth Departments established following Federation in 1901: the Department of Trade and Customs and the Department of External Affairs (DEA), headed by Harry Wollaston and Atlee Hunt respectively.[7]

The first DEA was abolished on 14 November 1916 and its responsibilities were undertaken by the Prime Minister's Department and the Department of Home and Territories.[8] It was re-established under the same name on 21 December 1921.[9]

Until the Second World War, Australia's status as a dominion of the British Empire in the then British Commonwealth meant its foreign relations were mostly defined by the United Kingdom. During this time, Australia's overseas activities were predominantly related to trade and commercial interests, while its external affairs were concerned mostly with immigration, exploration and publicity.[7] The political and economic changes wrought by the Great Depression and Second World War, and the adoption of the 1931 Statute of Westminster (ratified by Australia in 1942), necessitated the establishment and expansion of Australian representation overseas, independent of the United Kingdom Foreign Office. Australia began to establish its first overseas missions (outside London) in 1940, beginning with Washington, D.C., and now has a network of over 80 diplomatic (and 22 trade) posts.[7]

The DEA was renamed the Department of Foreign Affairs in 1970. On 24 July 1987, the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Trade were amalgamated by the Hawke government to form the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

In 1994, the Australian Overseas Information Service (AOIS, formerly Australian Information Service) became a branch in DFAT known as the International Public Affairs Branch.[10] In 1996 the branch was dissolved.[11]

In 2005, DFAT became embroiled in the Oil-for-Food Programme scandal after it was revealed it had approved the Australian Wheat Board's (AWB) request allowing it to pay 'trucking charges' to Alia, a Jordanian trucking company with no actual involvement in the trucking of Australian wheat within Iraq. The Cole Inquiry into the AWB was established, however its terms of reference excluded any investigation of the role of DFAT.

Portfolio responsibilities

The functions of the department are broadly classified into the following matters as laid out in an Administrative Arrangements Order issued on 18 September 2013:[12]

  • External Affairs, including:
    • relations and communications with overseas governments and United Nations agencies
    • treaties, including trade agreements
    • bilateral, regional and multilateral trade policy
    • international trade and commodity negotiations
    • market development, including market access
    • trade and international business development
    • investment promotion
    • international development co-operation
    • diplomatic and consular missions
    • international security issues, including disarmament, arms control and nuclear non-proliferation
    • public diplomacy, including information and cultural programs
  • International expositions
  • Provision to Australian citizens of secure travel identification
  • Provision of consular services to Australian citizens abroad
  • Overseas property management, including acquisition, ownership and disposal of real property
  • Tourism industry (international)
  • International development and aid
  • Development and co-ordination of international climate change policy
  • International climate change negotiations

Portfolio ministers

Four additional ministers support the Minister for Foreign Affairs in administering the Department, as of 2022:[13]

Secretary of the Department

DFAT is administered by a senior executive, comprising a secretary and five deputy secretaries. On the recommendation of the Prime Minister, the Governor-General has appointed the following individuals as Secretary to the department:

Order Official Date appointment
commenced		 Date appointment
ceased		 Term in office Ref(s)
1Stuart Harris AO3 September 1984 (1984-09-03)3 July 1988 (1988-07-03)3 years, 304 days[14][15][16]
2Richard Woolcott AC1 September 1988 (1988-09-01)15 February 1992 (1992-02-15)3 years, 167 days[16][17]
3Peter Wilenski AC15 February 1992 (1992-02-15)14 May 1993 (1993-05-14)1 year, 88 days[17][18][19]
4Michael Costello AO27 May 1993 (1993-05-27)8 March 1996 (1996-03-08)2 years, 286 days[20][21]
5Philip Flood AO8 March 1996 (1996-03-08)31 March 1998 (1998-03-31)2 years, 23 days[21]
6Ashton Calvert AC1 April 1998 (1998-04-01)4 January 2005 (2005-01-04)6 years, 278 days[22]
7Michael L'Estrange AO24 January 2005 (2005-01-24)13 August 2009 (2009-08-13)4 years, 201 days[22][23]
8Dennis Richardson AO13 August 2009 (2009-08-13)18 October 2012 (2012-10-18)3 years, 66 days[23][24]
9Peter Varghese AO18 October 2012 (2012-10-18)22 July 2016 (2016-07-22)3 years, 278 days[25][24]
10Frances Adamson AC22 July 2016 (2016-07-22)25 June 2021 (2021-06-25)4 years, 338 days[26][27][28][29]
11Kathryn Campbell AO, CSC & Bar22 July 2021 (2021-07-22)1 July 2022 (2022-07-01)344 days[30]
12Jan Adams AO PSM1 July 2022 (2022-07-01)Incumbent1 year, 118 days[31]

Structure

The department is responsible to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, the Minister for International Development and the Pacific, and the Assistant Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment.

The department has around 3,300 employees, of whom 1,300 are foreign staff employed by missions directly, and 1,500 are Australian employees based in Australia, and some 500 are diplomats serving overseas.

Departmental structure
  • Office of the Secretary
    • Internal Audit Branch
    • Strategic Policy, Contestability and Futures Branch
    • Executive Branch
  • Global Cooperation, Development and Partnerships Group
    • Multilateral Policy Division
    • Development Policy Division
    • Multilateral Development and Finance Division
    • Public Diplomacy, Communications & Scholarships Division
    • Centre for Health Security
    • Office of Development Effectiveness
    • Innovation Xchange
    • Office of the Ambassador for the Environment
  • International Security, Humanitarian and Consular Group
    • International Security Division
    • Consular and Crisis Management Division
    • Humanitarian, NGOs and Partnerships Division
    • Legal Division
    • Middle East and Africa Division
    • Australian Safeguards and Non-proliferation Office
    • Office of the Ambassador for Cyber Affairs
  • Indo-Pacific Group
    • South-East Asia Division
    • North Asia Division
    • Pacific Division
    • US and Indo-Pacific Strategy Division
    • South-West Asia Division
  • Trade, Investment and Business Engagement Group
    • Office of Trade Negotiations
    • Investment and Economic Division
    • Free Trade Agreement Division
    • Europe and Latin America Division
  • Services Delivery Group
    • People Branches
    • Diplomatic Academy
    • Finance Branches
    • Security Branches
    • Information Management and Technology Division
    • Australian Passport Office
    • Overseas Property Office
    • Protocol Branch
    • Contracting and Aid Management Division

Diplomatic network

The department maintains offices in each state and mainland territory to provide consular and passport services, and to perform an important liaison service for business throughout Australia. In addition, it has a Torres Strait Treaty Liaison Office on Thursday Island. Additionally, the department manages a network of over 90 overseas posts, including Australian embassies, high commissions, consulates-general and consulates.

Portfolio agencies

DFAT also manages several agencies within its portfolio, including:

DFAT also manages foundations, councils and institutes including:[32]

  • Australia-China Council (ACC)
  • Australia-India Council (AIC)
  • Australia-Indonesia Institute (AII)
  • Australia International Cultural Council (AICC)
  • Australia-Japan Foundation (AJF)
  • Australia-Korea Foundation (AKF)
  • Australia-Malaysia Institute (AMI)
  • Australia-Thailand Institute (ATI)
  • Council for Australian-Arab Relations (CAAR)
  • Council on Australia Latin America Relations (COALAR)

See also

References
  1. "Our history". Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  2. Martin, Lou-Ellen (2021). "Annual Report 2020–21" (PDF). Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  3. "Budget highlights 2020–21". Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  4. "Portfolio ministers". Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  5. "Portfolio Overview" (PDF). Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  6. OECD. "Development Co-operation Profiles 2023 - Australia". OECD Publishing, Paris. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  7. "History of the Department". Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Retrieved 8 August 2007.
  8. "Our History". Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  9. Parliamentary Handbook of the Commonwealth of Australia, 20th ed, 1978, pp. 289-290
  10. "Fact Sheet Forty Seven: Australian Overseas Information Service photographs". National Archives of Australia. 2000. Archived from the original on 12 February 2006. Retrieved 12 May 2006.
  11. "Australian News and Information Bureau". The Dictionary of Sydney. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  12. "Administrative Arrangements Order" (PDF). Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Commonwealth of Australia. 18 September 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 October 2013. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
  13. "Ministry List as at 1 June 2022" (PDF). Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  14. Harris was Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs beginning on 3 September 1984 until it was renamed the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in July 1987.
  15. Hawke, Bob (23 July 1987). "For the media". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (Press release). Commonwealth of Australia. Archived from the original on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  16. Hawke, Bob (2 June 1988). "For the media". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (Press release). Commonwealth of Australia. Archived from the original on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  17. Hawke, Bob (8 November 1991). "For the media". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (Press release). Commonwealth of Australia. Archived from the original on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  18. Keating, Paul (14 May 1993). "Dr Peter Wilenski AO". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (Press release). Commonwealth of Australia. Archived from the original on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  19. Mitcham, Chad. "Peter Stephen Wilenski (1939–1994)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISSN 1833-7538.
  20. Keating, Paul (26 May 1993). "Appointment of Departmental Secretaries". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (Press release). Commonwealth of Australia. Archived from the original on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  21. Howard, John (8 March 1996). "Statement by the Prime Minister designate, The Hon John Howard MP". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (Press release). Commonwealth of Australia. Archived from the original on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  22. Howard, John (2 December 2004). "Dr Ashton Calvert AC". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (Press release). Commonwealth of Australia. Archived from the original on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  23. Rudd, Kevin (13 August 2009). "Departmental secretaries and statutory office-holders, Canberra". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (Press release). Commonwealth of Australia. Archived from the original on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  24. Gillard, Julia (17 September 2012). "Diplomatic Appointment and Appointment of Secretaries of the Department of Defence and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (Press release). Commonwealth of Australia. Archived from the original on 20 December 2014. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
  25. "Mr Peter N Varghese AO - Biographical details". Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Commonwealth of Australia. 3 December 2012. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 28 October 2013.
  26. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (2016), Biography of Ms Frances Adamson, Australian Government, archived from the original on 17 August 2016
  27. Doran, Matthew (20 July 2016). "Frances Adamson appointed as DFAT's first female secretary". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 5 August 2016.
  28. Mannheim, Markus (20 July 2016). "Frances Adamson becomes Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's first female secretary". The Canberra Times. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 17 August 2016.
  29. Turnbull, Malcolm (20 July 2016). "Ms Frances Adamson appointed Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 21 April 2017. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
  30. "Secretary and Deputy Secretaries".
  31. "Announcement of Department Secretaries". Prime Minister of Australia. 22 June 2022. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
  32. "Foundations, councils and institutes - Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade". Dfat.gov.au. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
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