Department of the Interior (1939–1972)
The Department of the Interior was an Australian government department that existed between April 1939 and December 1972. It was the second so-named Australian Government department.
| Department overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 26 April 1939[1] |
| Preceding Department | |
| Dissolved | 19 December 1972 |
| Jurisdiction | Commonwealth of Australia |
| Employees | 8,411 (in 1969)[2] |
| Department executives |
|
Scope
Information about the department's functions and/or government funding allocation could be found in the Administrative Arrangements Orders, the annual Portfolio Budget Statements and in the department's annual reports.
The department was diverse and dealt with a broad range of activities.[3] According to the Administrative Arrangements Order (AAO) made on 30 November 1939, the department dealt with:[1]
- Aliens - registration of
- Ashmore and Cartier Islands
- Assisted Migration
- Astronomy
- Australian Capital Territory - administration of
- Australian War Memorial
- Conveyance of Members of Parliament and others
- Co-ordination of Australian Transport Services
- Elections and franchise
- Emigration of children and aboriginals
- Forestry
- Geodesy
- Immigration
- Indentured Coloured labour
- Lands and Surveys
- Maintenance and operation of electric light, water and sewerage services in the Australian Capital Territory
- Meteorology
- Naturalisation
- Northern Territory
- Oil Investigation and prospecting
- Passports
- Preparation of design and execution of all Commonwealth Architectural and Engineering Works in the States, Northern Territory and ACT including works for the Commonwealth Bank of Australia
- Properties transferred, rented or acquired
- Public Works and Services
- Prospecting for precious metals (assistance for)
- Railways
- River Murray Waters Commission
- Rivers, roads and bridges
- Solar observatory
Structure
The department was a Commonwealth Public Service department, staffed by officials who were responsible to the Minister for the Interior.[1]
Notes
- CA 31: Department of the Interior [II], Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 3 December 2013
- Juddery, Bruce (30 December 1969). "Interior develops in size and shape". The Canberra Times. p. 12.
- ArchivesACT 1964, pp. 1, 8.
References and further reading
- A short history of the Department of the Interior (PDF), ArchivesACT, 1964, archived from the original (PDF) on 11 May 2013
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