The Australian Government on 1 January 1953
Prime Minister: Robert Menzies (Liberal) · 20th Parliament
Changes taking effect on this day
- Commonwealth Bank of Australia part split off to form Commonwealth Trading Bank of Australia
- Defence Research Laboratories renamed to Defence Standards Laboratories
Departments of State (24)
- Attorney-General's Department1901–present
- Department of Air1939–1973
- Department of Civil Aviation1938–1973
- Department of Commerce and Agriculture1942–1956
- Department of Defence1942–present
- Department of Defence Production1951–1958
- Department of External Affairs1921–1970
- Department of Health1921–1987
- Department of Immigration1945–1974
- Department of Labour and National Service1940–1972
- Department of National Development1950–1972
- Department of Shipping and Transport1951–1972
- Department of Social Services1939–1972
- Department of Supply1950–1974
- Department of Territories1951–1968
- Department of the Army1939–1973
- Department of the Interior1939–1972
- Department of the Navy1939–1973
- Department of the Treasury1901–present
- Department of Trade and Customs1901–1956
- Department of Works1952–1973
- Postmaster-General's Department1901–1975
- Prime Minister's Department1911–1971
- Repatriation Department1918–1974
Other bodies (139)
Central government
- Audit Office 1902–1998
- Chief Electoral Office 1902–1973
- Governor-General's Office 1901–1984
- Public Service Board 1923–1987
Parliament
- Department of the House of Representatives 1901–present
- Department of the Parliamentary Library 1901–2004
- Department of the Parliamentary Reporting Staff 1901–2004
- Department of the Senate 1901–present
- Joint House Department 1901–2004
Law, justice & security
- Australian Capital Territory Police 1938–1979
- Australian Security Intelligence Organisation 1949–present
- Commonwealth Crown Solicitor's Office 1903–1984
- Commonwealth Film Censorship Board 1928–1996
- Commonwealth Investigation Service 1946–1960
- Federal Court of Bankruptcy 1930–1977
- High Court of Australia 1903–present
- Northern Territory Police Force 1911–1978
- Peace Officer Guard 1942–1960
- Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory 1934–1992
- Supreme Court of the Northern Territory 1931–1979
- Supreme Court of the Territory of Papua and New Guinea 1949–1975
Treasury & finance
- Commonwealth Bank of Australia 1911–1960
- Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics 1905–1974
- Commonwealth Grants Commission 1933–present
- Commonwealth Savings Bank of Australia 1928–1993
- Commonwealth Superannuation Board 1922–1976
- Commonwealth Trading Bank of Australia 1953–1984
- Defence Forces Retirement Benefits Board 1948–1972
- Federal Taxation Office 1914–1973
- Life Insurance Commissioner 1946–1987
- National Debt Commission 1923–1994
- Note Printing Branch 1913–1998
- Tariff Board 1921–1974
- Tax Agents' Boards 1943–2010
- Taxation Boards of Review 1925–1986
Industry, science & resources
- Australian Aluminium Production Commission 1944–1960
- Australian Survey Office 1910–1987
- British Phosphate Commissioners 1920–1981
- Bureau of Mineral Resources, Geology and Geophysics 1946–1992
- Christmas Island Phosphate Commission 1949–1981
- Commonwealth Observatory 1945–1957
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation 1949–present
- Division of National Mapping 1947–1987
- Joint Coal Board 1947–2002
- National Measurement Laboratory 1938–2004
- National Standards Commission 1950–2004
- Patent Office 1904–1992
- Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Authority 1949–2002
Health, ageing & disability
- Australian Institute of Anatomy 1931–1984
- Commonwealth Acoustic Laboratories 1947–1973
- Commonwealth Bureau of Dental Standards 1947–1973
- Commonwealth Serum Laboratories 1916–1961
- Commonwealth X-ray and Radium Laboratory 1935–1972
- National Health and Medical Research Council 1936–present
- School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine 1930–1980
Social services & housing
- Commonwealth Rehabilitation Service 1948–2015
Education & research
- Australian Forestry School 1926–1965
- Australian National University 1946–present
- Australian School of Pacific Administration 1947–1973
- Canberra University College 1929–1960
- Commonwealth Office of Education 1945–1966
- Universities Commission 1943–1959
Employment & workplace
- Australian Stevedoring Industry Board 1949–1956
- Coal Industry Tribunal 1947–1995
- Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration 1904–1956
- Commonwealth Employment Service 1946–1998
- Public Service Arbitrator 1921–1984
Transport & infrastructure
- Australian National Airlines Commission 1946–1988
- Australian Shipbuilding Board 1941–1957
- Australian Shipping Board 1946–1956
- British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines Limited 1946–1954
- Commonwealth Experimental Building Station 1944–1982
- Commonwealth Railways 1917–1975
- Qantas Empire Airways Limited 1947–1967
Communications & media
- Australian Broadcasting Commission 1932–1983
- Australian Broadcasting Control Board 1949–1977
- Australian News and Information Bureau 1940–1973
- Commonwealth Government Printing Office 1927–1970
- Overseas Telecommunications Commission (Australia) 1946–1989
Arts, sport & collections
- Archives Division, Commonwealth National Library 1952–1961
- Australian War Memorial 1925–present
- Commonwealth Art Advisory Board 1912–1973
- Commonwealth Literary Fund 1908–1973
- Commonwealth National Library 1923–1961
Indigenous affairs
- Native Affairs Branch 1939–1954
Territories & national capital
- Administration of Nauru 1921–1968
- Administration of the Territory of Papua and New Guinea 1949–1971
- Commonwealth-New Guinea Timbers Limited 1952–1972
- National Capital Planning and Development Committee 1938–1958
- Norfolk Island Administration 1914–1979
- Northern Territory Administration 1931–1978
Agriculture, fisheries & forestry
- Australian Apple and Pear Board 1938–1974
- Australian Canned Fruits Board 1938–1979
- Australian Dairy Produce Board 1935–1975
- Australian Egg Board 1948–1985
- Australian Meat Board 1936–1977
- Australian Whaling Commission 1949–1956
- Australian Wheat Board 1939–1999
- Australian Wine Board 1936–1981
- Australian Wool Board 1945–1953
- Bureau of Agricultural Economics 1945–1988
- Dried Fruits Control Board 1924–1979
- Forestry and Timber Bureau 1946–1975
Environment & water
- Australian Antarctic Division 1948–present
- Bureau of Meteorology 1908–present
- Ionospheric Prediction Service 1947–2007
- River Murray Commission 1917–1988
Defence & veterans
- AAF Company 1946–present
- Aeronautical Research Laboratories 1949–1994
- Air Board 1920–1976
- Ammunition Factory Footscray 1927–1989
- Assessment Appeal Tribunals 1929–1979
- Australian Army Canteens Service 1941–1959
- Australian Commonwealth Naval Board 1911–1976
- Australian Defence Scientific Service 1949–1974
- Australian Military Forces Relief Trust Fund 1947–present
- Commonwealth Government Clothing Factory 1912–1989
- Commonwealth Small Arms Factory 1912–1989
- Defence Signals Branch 1949–1964
- Defence Standards Laboratories 1953–1974
- Explosives Factory Maribyrnong 1910–1989
- Explosives Factory Mulwala 1943–1989
- Government Aircraft Factories 1946–1987
- Joint Intelligence Bureau 1947–1969
- Long Range Weapons Establishment 1947–1955
- Military Board 1905–1976
- Munitions Filling Factory St Marys 1942–1989
- Ordnance Factory Bendigo 1942–1989
- Ordnance Factory Maribyrnong 1924–1989
- Repatriation Commission 1918–present
- Royal Australian Air Force Veterans' Residences Trust Fund 1953–present
- Royal Australian Air Force Welfare Trust Fund 1947–present
- Royal Australian Navy Central Canteens Board 1943–present
- Royal Australian Navy Relief Trust Fund 1947–present
- War Pensions Entitlement Appeal Tribunal 1929–1979
- Williamstown Naval Dockyard 1942–1988
Foreign affairs & trade
- Australian Secret Intelligence Service 1952–present
- Australian Trade Commissioner Service 1933–1986
Immigration & border
- Commonwealth Hostels Limited 1951–1978