The Department of Aboriginal Affairs was one of several new departments established by the Whitlam government, a wide restructuring in line with the new government's programme.[3] After the Whitlam government was dismissed in 1975, the department had its budget cut by 43 percent in the Fraser government's first budget, in 1976.[4]
In 1980, the Fraser government established the Aboriginal Development Commission. Media speculated at the time that the government was considering abolishing the department,[5] but it was not abolished until 1990, by the Hawke government, when it was amalgamated with the Aboriginal Development Commission to create the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission. A "wake" was held on 2 March 1990 by staff, to mark the department's demise.[6]
Scopeedit
Information about the department's functions and government funding allocation could be found in the Administrative Arrangements Orders, the annual Portfolio Budget Statements and in the department's annual reports.
According to the Administrative Arrangements Order issued 19 December 1972, at its creation, the Department was responsible for:[7]
Matters related to the Aboriginal people of Australia
The development and administration of national policies for the advancement and welfare of the Aboriginal people, including the administration of welfare activities in the Territories
Special laws for the Aboriginal people
Structureedit
The Department was an Australian Public Service department, staffed by officials who were responsible to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs.[1]
department, aboriginal, affairs, other, uses, ministry, aboriginal, affairs, disambiguation, australian, government, department, that, existed, between, december, 1972, march, 1990, department, overviewformed19, december, 1972, preceding, departmentdepartment,. For other uses see Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs disambiguation The Department of Aboriginal Affairs was an Australian government department that existed between December 1972 and March 1990 Department of Aboriginal AffairsDepartment overviewFormed19 December 1972 1 Preceding DepartmentDepartment of the Environment Aborigines and the ArtsDissolved5 March 1990 1 Superseding agencyAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander CommissionJurisdictionCommonwealth of AustraliaHeadquartersCanberraMinisters responsibleGordon Bryant Minister 1972 1973 Jim Cavanagh Minister 1973 1975 Les Johnson Minister 1975 Tom Drake Brockman Minister 1975 Ian Viner Minister 1975 1978 Fred Chaney Minister 1978 1980 Peter Baume Minister 1980 1982 Ian Wilson Minister 1982 1983 Clyde Holding Minister 1983 1987 Gerry Hand Minister 1987 1990 Department executivesLenox Hewitt Secretary 1972 1973 Barrie Dexter Secretary 1973 1977 David Hay Secretary 1977 1979 Tony Ayers Secretary 1979 1981 John Taylor Secretary 1981 1984 Charles Perkins Secretary 1984 1988 Bill Gray Secretary 1988 1990 Contents 1 History 2 Scope 3 Structure 4 References 5 Further readingHistory editThe department had its origins in the Office of Aboriginal Affairs OAA which was established by the Holt government in 1967 following a constitutional amendment that granted the federal government new powers In 1972 the OAA was transformed into a separate government department replacing the preceding Department of the Environment Aborigines and the Arts created by the McMahon government 2 The Department of Aboriginal Affairs was one of several new departments established by the Whitlam government a wide restructuring in line with the new government s programme 3 After the Whitlam government was dismissed in 1975 the department had its budget cut by 43 percent in the Fraser government s first budget in 1976 4 In 1980 the Fraser government established the Aboriginal Development Commission Media speculated at the time that the government was considering abolishing the department 5 but it was not abolished until 1990 by the Hawke government when it was amalgamated with the Aboriginal Development Commission to create the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission A wake was held on 2 March 1990 by staff to mark the department s demise 6 Scope editInformation about the department s functions and government funding allocation could be found in the Administrative Arrangements Orders the annual Portfolio Budget Statements and in the department s annual reports According to the Administrative Arrangements Order issued 19 December 1972 at its creation the Department was responsible for 7 Matters related to the Aboriginal people of Australia The development and administration of national policies for the advancement and welfare of the Aboriginal people including the administration of welfare activities in the Territories Special laws for the Aboriginal peopleStructure editThe Department was an Australian Public Service department staffed by officials who were responsible to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs 1 References edit a b c CA 1476 Department of Aboriginal Affairs Central Office National Archives of Australia retrieved 9 February 2021 Pandora s Box the Council for Aboriginal Affairs 1967 1976 Crikey 1 June 2016 Retrieved 15 October 2017 Gough Whitlam In Office National Archives of Australia archived from the original on 19 April 2013 Waterford Jack 21 May 1976 Aboriginal Affairs cut by 43pc The Canberra Times p 9 Andrews Ross 9 November 1980 Ominous signs for the Department of Aboriginal Affairs The Canberra Times p 7 Coelli Andree 3 March 1990 Wake marks end of era The Canberra Times p 3 Administrative Arrangements Order of 19 December 1972 PDF National Archives of Australia 19 December 1972 archived from the original PDF on 26 April 2013Further reading editWaterford Jack 2 March 1990 New name but same game for Aboriginal body The Canberra Times p 9 nbsp This Australian government related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Department of Aboriginal Affairs amp oldid 1216734458, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
