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). In 2021, DFAT allocated USD 3.4 billion of official development assistance, equivalent to 0.22% of gross national income.[6]
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 BritishForeign 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]
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 Programmescandal 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.
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:
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
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:
^"Ministry List as at 1 June 2022" (PDF). Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
^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.
^. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Commonwealth of Australia. 3 December 2012. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 28 October 2013.
^Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (2016), Biography of Ms Frances Adamson, Australian Government, from the original on 17 August 2016
^Doran, Matthew (20 July 2016). . ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 5 August 2016.
^Mannheim, Markus (20 July 2016). "Frances Adamson becomes Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's first female secretary". The Canberra Times. Fairfax Media. from the original on 17 August 2016.
^Turnbull, Malcolm (20 July 2016). (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 21 April 2017. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
^"Announcement of Department Secretaries". Prime Minister of Australia. 22 June 2022. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
^"Foundations, councils and institutes - Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade". Dfat.gov.au. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
External links
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Website
who was dismissed by DFAT then re-employed after lengthy legal proceedings
OECD Development Co-operation Profile of Australia
April 28, 2023
department, foreign, affairs, trade, irish, department, formerly, called, foreign, affairs, trade, department, foreign, affairs, ireland, dfat, department, australian, federal, government, responsible, foreign, policy, relations, international, using, branding. For the Irish department formerly called Foreign Affairs and Trade see Department of Foreign Affairs Ireland 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 In 2021 DFAT allocated USD 3 4 billion of official development assistance equivalent to 0 22 of gross national income 6 Department of Foreign Affairs and TradeThe head office of the department in the ACTDepartment overviewFormed24 July 1987 35 years ago 1987 07 24 1 Preceding agenciesDepartment of Foreign Affairs 1 Department of Trade 1 JurisdictionAustralian GovernmentHeadquartersBarton Australian Capital TerritoryEmployees5 367 2 363 deployed overseas 2 Annual budgetA 6 1 billion 2020 21 3 Ministers responsiblePenny Wong Foreign Affairs 5 Don Farrell Trade and TourismPat Conroy International Development and the PacificTim Watts Assistant for Foreign AffairsTim Ayres Assistant for TradeDepartment executiveJan Adams SecretaryChild agenciesAustrade 4 Australian Secret Intelligence Service 4 Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research 4 Tourism Australia 4 Export Finance Australia 4 Australian AidWebsitedfat wbr gov wbr auThe head of the department is its secretary presently Jan Adams She reports to the Penny Wong who has held the position of Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2022 5 Contents 1 History 2 Portfolio responsibilities 3 Portfolio ministers 4 Secretary of the Department 5 Structure 5 1 Departmental structure 5 2 Diplomatic network 5 3 Portfolio agencies 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksHistory EditThe 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 British 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 citation needed 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 EditThe 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 needs update 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 negotiationsPortfolio ministers EditFour additional ministers support the Minister for Foreign Affairs in administering the Department as of 2022 update 13 Minister for Trade and Tourism Senator Don Farrell Minister for International Development and the Pacific Pat Conroy MP Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs Tim Watts MP Assistant Minister for Trade Senator Tim AyresSecretary of the Department EditDFAT 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 appointmentcommenced Date appointmentceased Term in office Ref s 1 Stuart Harris AO 3 September 1984 1984 09 03 3 July 1988 1988 07 03 3 years 304 days 14 15 16 2 Richard Woolcott AC 1 September 1988 1988 09 01 15 February 1992 1992 02 15 3 years 167 days 16 17 3 Peter Wilenski AC 15 February 1992 1992 02 15 14 May 1993 1993 05 14 1 year 88 days 17 18 4 Michael Costello AO 27 May 1993 1993 05 27 8 March 1996 1996 03 08 2 years 286 days 19 20 5 Philip Flood AO 8 March 1996 1996 03 08 31 March 1998 1998 03 31 2 years 23 days 20 6 Ashton Calvert AC 1 April 1998 1998 04 01 4 January 2005 2005 01 04 6 years 278 days 21 7 Michael L Estrange AO 24 January 2005 2005 01 24 13 August 2009 2009 08 13 4 years 201 days 21 22 8 Dennis Richardson AO 13 August 2009 2009 08 13 18 October 2012 2012 10 18 3 years 66 days 22 23 9 Peter Varghese AO 18 October 2012 2012 10 18 22 July 2016 2016 07 22 3 years 278 days 24 23 10 Frances Adamson AC 22 July 2016 2016 07 22 25 June 2021 2021 06 25 4 years 338 days 25 26 27 28 11 Kathryn Campbell AO CSC amp Bar 22 July 2021 2021 07 22 1 July 2022 2022 07 01 344 days 29 12 Jan Adams AO PSM 1 July 2022 2022 07 01 Incumbent 301 days 30 Structure EditThe 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 Edit 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 amp 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 DivisionDiplomatic network Edit 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 Edit DFAT also manages several agencies within its portfolio including Australian Trade and Investment Commission Export Finance and Insurance Corporation Australian Secret Intelligence Service Australian Centre for International Agricultural ResearchDFAT also manages foundations councils and institutes including 31 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 Edit Australia portal Politics portalAustralian Information Service Australian Volunteers for International Development Five Nations Passport Group List of Australian Commonwealth Government entities List of High Commissioners and Ambassadors of AustraliaReferences Edit a b c Our history Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Retrieved 17 October 2020 Martin Lou Ellen 2021 Annual Report 2020 21 PDF Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Retrieved 17 March 2022 Budget highlights 2020 21 Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Retrieved 17 October 2020 a b c d e Portfolio Overview PDF Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Retrieved 17 October 2020 a b Portfolio ministers Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Retrieved 23 May 2022 OECD Development Co operation Profiles Australia OECD Publishing Paris Retrieved 6 July 2022 a b c History of the Department Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Retrieved 8 August 2007 Our History Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Retrieved 11 May 2020 Parliamentary Handbook of the Commonwealth of Australia 20th ed 1978 pp 289 290 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 Australian News and Information Bureau The Dictionary of Sydney Retrieved 27 December 2020 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 Ministry List as at 1 June 2022 PDF Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet Retrieved 4 June 2022 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 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 a b 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 a b 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 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 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 a b 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 a b 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 a b 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 a b 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 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 Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade 2016 Biography of Ms Frances Adamson Australian Government archived from the original on 17 August 2016 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 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 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 Secretary and Deputy Secretaries Announcement of Department Secretaries Prime Minister of Australia 22 June 2022 Retrieved 30 June 2022 Foundations councils and institutes Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Dfat gov au Retrieved 17 October 2018 External links EditDepartment of Foreign Affairs and Trade Website National Indigenous Times article on Trent Smith who was dismissed by DFAT then re employed after lengthy legal proceedings OECD Development Co operation Profile of Australia Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade amp oldid 1150975217, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
