List of Some Department in Australia

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

The Australian Department of Agriculture's role is to develop and implement policies and programs that ensure Australia's agricultural, fisheries, food and forestry industries remain competitive, profitable and sustainable.

Our policies and programs:

• encourage and support sustainable natural resource use and management
• protect the health and safety of plant and animal industries
• enable industries to adapt to compete in a fast-changing international and economic environment.
• help improve market access and market performance for the agricultural and food sector
• encourage and assist industries to adopt new technology and practices, and
• assist primary producers and the food industry to develop business and marketing skills, and to be financially self-reliant.

The department employs about 4500 Full Time Equivalent staff in Australia and overseas, including policy officers, program administrators, economists, meat inspectors, researchers, veterinary officers, communicators and project managers. Our staff work in places as varied as offices, airports, mail centres, shipping ports, laboratories and abattoirs; located in regional centres, rural communities and capital cities.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND AGEING

History of the Department

The Department of Health was established in 1921 and has since undergone a number of changes in its name function and structure. The changes are briefly outlined below, including name changes, Health Ministers and Heads of Department.

Background

The Department of Health was established in 1921 and has since undergone a number of changes in its name, function and structure. 

The first change was in 1987 when the Department of Health was merged with the Department of Community Services to form the Department of Community Services and Health. 

The Department of Health, Housing and Community Services was then formed in June 1991, reflecting the transfer of housing industry programs from the Department of Industry, Technology and Commerce to the Department of Community Services and Health. 

In March 1993 the Department of Local Government joined with the Department of Health, Housing and Community Services to form the Department of Health, Housing, Local Government and Community Services. Subsequently, in 1994, the Department's name was changed to the Department of Human Services and Health. 

When a new government was elected in March 1996, the department's name changed to the Department of Health and Family Services. At this time, it gained responsibility for the Supported Accommodation Assistance Program from the former Department of Housing and Regional Development. 

The department later assumed responsibility for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health matters from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission. 

After the October 1998 election, the department's name changed to the Department of Health and Aged Care to reflect its new responsibilities and functions. Responsibility for Family and Children's Services, Disability Programs and the Commonwealth Rehabilitation Service were transferred to the Department of Family and Community Services on 22 October 1998. 

Following the November 2001 election, Department of Health and Aged Care became the Department of Health and Ageing. The portfolio also gained the Commonwealth Rehabilitation Service from the Department of Family and Community Services. 

DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRY

On 18 September 2013, the Department of Industry was established. This website will be updated to reflect Machinery of Government changes in due course.

The Department of Industry helps shape Australia’s future economy through skills, learning, discovery and innovation.

Together with the wider portfolio, the department is working to accelerate productivity growth and secure Australia’s prosperity in a competitive low carbon global economy.

Collaboration, education and a strong science and research base are keys to success. It  is engage with business, research bodies, tertiary education sectors, government and the broader community to create and build economic and social benefits. Its focus is on promoting innovation across the economy and shaping the businesses, industries and workforce to turn these opportunities into outcomes.

DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE

The department's role is to advance the interests of Australia and Australians internationally. This involves working to strengthen Australia's security; enhancing Australia's prosperity; and helping Australian travellers and Australians overseas.

The department provides foreign and trade policy advice to the government. We work with other government agencies to ensure that Australia's pursuit of its global, regional and bilateral interests is coordinated effectively.

History

The Department of Trade and Customs and the Department of External Affairs were among the first seven Commonwealth Departments established at Federation. After nearly 90 years they amalgamated in 1987.

Up to the Second World War, the Department of Trade - and related agencies such as the Department of Commerce - played a greater role in foreign representation than did the Department of External Affairs. "External Affairs" meant in the first decades of Federation a miscellany of "overseas" functions such as immigration, off-shore fisheries, exploration of Papua New Guinea and Antarctica, and Commonwealth Government publicity.

Until the late 1930s, Australia's overseas presence was limited mainly to trade representation and commercial publicity. The 1930s saw an increasingly dangerous economic and political world. Australia realised the need to establish a Trade Commissioner Service (in 1934) and make tentative beginnings towards diplomatic representation abroad.

Role and Assets

The department's role is to advance Australia's national interest. This involves working to strengthen Australia's security and enhance Australia's prosperity.

The department provides foreign and trade policy advice to the government. We work with other government agencies to ensure that Australia's pursuit of its global, regional and bilateral interests is coordinated effectively.

DFAT is the lead agency managing Australia's international presence. We manage a network of 95 overseas posts in five continents and we have over 3600 staff - including locally engaged staff - located in Canberra, state and territory offices and overseas posts.

Our officers are highly skilled at their work which includes developing and implementing foreign and trade policy, negotiating international agreements and delivering high quality consular assistance. This business is often conducted in one of the 29 foreign languages in which DFAT staff are proficient. We have an information, communications and technology (ICT) platform that allows us to transmit classified and unclassified messages quickly across our overseas network.

The department's objective is to reduce the risks and make the most of opportunities for Australia in our regional and global environment. Our purpose is to ensure that our structures - such as procedures for advising ministers, consular contingency planning, passport services, ICT platforms, staff deployment strategies, effective resource management and the scope of overseas representation - are carefully targeted to meet our goals.

DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE

As a central agency of the Australian Government, the Department of Finance  (Finance) plays an important role in assisting government across a wide range of policy areas to ensure its outcomes are met, particularly with regard to expenditure, financial management, and the operations of government.

Essential services delivered by Finance include supporting the delivery of the Australian Government Budget, the ongoing management of the Australian Government’s non-defence domestic property portfolio and key asset sales. Finance is also responsible for the financial framework for Australian Government Agencies. Additionally, Finance provides entitlements advice and support to parliamentarians and their employees, maintains shareholder oversight for Government Business Enterprises (GBEs), provides general insurance services to government agencies and promotes improved risk management. Finance also provides strategic advice, guidance and service provision for the productive application of new and existing information and communication technologies to government operations.

Business Groups

The department is comprised of four business groups. Each group has a page which describes its specific roles and responsibilities, and contains links to documents and web pages relevant to staff within the group.

Budget Group contributes to the outcome “sustainable government finances”. It provides policy and financial advice to the Minister for Finance, senior ministers and Cabinet’s Expenditure Review Committee on government expenditure and non-taxation revenue policy issues.

The Budget embodies the policy priorities and fiscal targets for which the Government seeks Parliamentary authorisation. Budget Group supports the Government in its Budget preparation, delivery and ongoing management through the Budget Process.

Business, Procurement and Asset Management (BPAM) manages the Australian Government´s business and non-Defence property assets, implements and manages the sale or divestment of such assets and handles residual business issues. It is also responsible for the delivery of whole of government information and communications technology services, develops and maintains the Australian Government's procurement policy framework (including the initiation and management of a range of whole-of-government contracts), and manages the special claims, insurance and risk management operations within the Finance portfolio. 

The Chief Operating Officer Group works with the Secretary, Executive Board and other business groups within the Department to enhance, promote and sustain Finance's role as a trusted and professional adviser to the Government.

The Group also provides current parliamentarians and their staff (approximately 1,850), and former Senators and Members, with a range of facilities and services.

The Governance & Resource Management Group (GARM) develops and advises on the resource management framework applicable to public sector agencies, including on governance,  accounting policy issues, the Government’s investment funds (Future Fund and the Nation-building Funds), and on superannuation arrangements for members of Parliament and Commonwealth employees. The Group is also responsible for providing advice on and coordination of government information and advertising campaigns. Additionally the Group consolidates Budget updates, contributes to the preparation of the Budget statements and prepares the Commonwealth's monthly and annual consolidated financial statements.

Through the Australian Government Information Management Office (AGIMO), the Group also provides leadership in the productive application of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) to government administration, information and services.