Department of Home Affairs [I], Central Office (1901 - 1916)

Summary

Established in January 1901, the Department of Home Affairs was one of the first seven Departments to be formed after Australia's Federation. After it was abolished in November 1916, the functions of the Department of Home Affairs were transferred to the newly formed Department of Home and Territories.

Details

The Department of Home Affairs was established on 1 January 1901 (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No 1 of 1 January 1901, p.4). It was one of the first seven Departments of State to be established when Australia became a Commonwealth.

The functions of the Department, as outlined in the first Administrative Arrangements Order on 3 February 1905, were:

Old-age pensions
People of special races
Acquisition of property
Acquisition of railways with State consent
Control of railways with State consent
Astronomical
Census and Statistics
Public Works
Federal Capital
Inter-State Commissions
Elections
Public Service

Related entries

Timeline

 1901 - 1916 Department of Home Affairs [I], Central Office
       1916 - 1928 Department of Home and Territories, Central Office
             1928 - 1932 Department of Home Affairs [II], Central Office
                   1932 - 1939 Department of the Interior [I], Central Administration
                         1939 - 1972 Department of the Interior [II], Central Office
                               1972 - 1975 Department of Science [I], Central Office
                                     1975 Department of Science and Consumer Affairs, Central Office
                                           1975 - 1978 Department of Science [II], Central Office
                                                 1978 - 1980 Department of Science and the Environment, Central Office
                                                       1980 - 1984 Department of Science and Technology, Central Office
                                                       1980 - 1984 Department of Home Affairs and Environment
                                                             1984 - 1987 Department of Arts, Heritage and Environment
                                                             1984 - 1987 Department of Science [III], Central Office
                                                                   1987 - 1991 Department of the Arts, Sport, the Environment, Tourism and Territories, Central Office
                                                                   1987 - 1993 Department of Administrative Services [III], Central Office
                                                                         1987 - 1991 Department of the Arts, Sport, the Environment, Tourism and Territories, Central Office
                                                                               1991 - 1993 Department of the Arts, Sport, the Environment and Territories, Central Office
                                                                                     1993 - 1997 Department of the Environment, Sport and Territories, Central Office
                                                                                           1997 - 1998 Department of the Environment [II], Central Office
                                                                                                 1998 - Department of the Environment and Heritage

Published resources

Resources

• Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1477288. Details

Resource Sections

• 'Primary description of agency CA 8; Department of Home Affairs [I], Central Office, Registration of entity: 11 March 1977', in RecordSearch, National Archives of Australia, 2000, https://RecordSearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?Number=CA%208. Details