The Australian Government on 19 December 1972
Prime Minister: Gough Whitlam (Labor) · 28th Parliament
Changes taking effect on this day
- Department of the Environment, Aborigines and the Arts part split off to form Department of Aboriginal Affairs
- Department of the Interior part split off to form Department of Aboriginal Affairs
- Office of Aboriginal Affairs merged into Department of Aboriginal Affairs
- Department of Education and Science part split off to form Department of Education
- Department of Labour and National Service renamed to Department of Labour
- Department of National Development part split off to form Department of Minerals and Energy
- Department of National Development part split off to form Department of Northern Development
- Department of Trade and Industry part split off to form Department of Overseas Trade
- Department of Education and Science part split off to form Department of Science
- Department of Supply part split off to form Department of Science
- Department of the Interior part split off to form Department of Science
- Department of Trade and Industry part split off to form Department of Secondary Industry
- Department of the Interior part split off to form Department of Services and Property
- Department of Social Services renamed to Department of Social Security
- Department of External Territories part split off to form Department of the Capital Territory
- Department of the Interior part split off to form Department of the Capital Territory
- Department of the Environment, Aborigines and the Arts part split off to form Department of the Environment and Conservation
- Department of the Environment, Aborigines and the Arts part split off to form Department of the Media
- Department of the Interior part split off to form Department of the Media
- Postmaster-General's Department part split off to form Department of the Media
- Department of the Interior part split off to form Department of the Northern Territory
- Department of the Environment, Aborigines and the Arts functions transferred to Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
- Department of Trade and Industry functions transferred to Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
- Department of the Environment, Aborigines and the Arts part split off to form Department of the Special Minister of State
- Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet part split off to form Department of the Special Minister of State
- Department of Trade and Industry part split off to form Department of Tourism and Recreation
- Department of Shipping and Transport renamed to Department of Transport
Departments of State (37)
- Attorney-General's Department1901–present
- Department of Aboriginal Affairs1972–1990
- Department of Air1939–1973
- Department of Civil Aviation1938–1973
- Department of Customs and Excise1956–1975
- Department of Defence1942–present
- Department of Education1972–1983
- Department of External Territories1968–1973
- Department of Foreign Affairs1970–1987
- Department of Health1921–1987
- Department of Housing1963–1973
- Department of Immigration1945–1974
- Department of Labour1972–1974
- Department of Minerals and Energy1972–1975
- Department of Northern Development1972–1975
- Department of Overseas Trade1972–1977
- Department of Primary Industry1956–1974
- Department of Science1972–1975
- Department of Secondary Industry1972–1974
- Department of Services and Property1972–1975
- Department of Social Security1972–1998
- Department of Supply1950–1974
- Department of the Army1939–1973
- Department of the Capital Territory1972–1983
- Department of the Environment and Conservation1972–1975
- Department of the Media1972–1975
- Department of the Navy1939–1973
- Department of the Northern Territory1972–1975
- Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet1971–present
- Department of the Special Minister of State1972–1975
- Department of the Treasury1901–present
- Department of Tourism and Recreation1972–1975
- Department of Transport1972–1982
- Department of Urban and Regional Development1972–1975
- Department of Works1952–1973
- Postmaster-General's Department1901–1975
- Repatriation Department1918–1974
Other bodies (183)
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 Police Force 1960–1979
- Federal Court of Bankruptcy 1930–1977
- Films Board of Review 1970–1996
- High Court of Australia 1903–present
- Northern Territory Police Force 1911–1978
- Office of Parliamentary Counsel 1970–present
- 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
- Australian Industry Development Corporation 1970–1997
- Commissioner of Trade Practices 1967–1974
- Commonwealth Banking Corporation 1960–1984
- Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics 1905–1974
- Commonwealth Development Bank of Australia 1960–1991
- 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 Force Retirement and Death Benefits Authority 1972–2011
- Federal Taxation Office 1914–1973
- Life Insurance Commissioner 1946–1987
- National Debt Commission 1923–1994
- Note Printing Branch 1913–1998
- Reserve Bank of Australia 1960–present
- Royal Australian Mint 1965–present
- Special Advisory Authority 1962–1974
- Tariff Board 1921–1974
- Tax Agents' Boards 1943–2010
- Taxation Boards of Review 1925–1986
- Trade Practices Tribunal 1967–1995
Industry, science & resources
- Anglo-Australian Telescope Board 1971–2010
- Australian Atomic Energy Commission 1953–1987
- Australian Industrial Research and Development Grants Board 1967–1976
- 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 Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation 1949–present
- Copyright Tribunal of Australia 1969–present
- Division of National Mapping 1947–1987
- Joint Coal Board 1947–2002
- Metric Conversion Board 1970–1981
- National Measurement Laboratory 1938–2004
- National Standards Commission 1950–2004
- Patent Office 1904–1992
- Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation 1970–1989
- 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 Radiation Laboratory 1972–1973
- Commonwealth Serum Laboratories Commission 1961–1991
- National Biological Standards Laboratory 1958–1989
- 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
- Housing Loans Insurance Corporation 1965–1997
- Northern Territory Housing Commission 1959–1978
Education & research
- Australian Commission on Advanced Education 1971–1977
- Australian National University 1946–present
- Australian Research Grants Committee 1965–1988
- Australian School of Pacific Administration 1947–1973
- Australian Universities Commission 1959–1977
- Canberra College of Advanced Education 1967–1990
- Canberra School of Music 1965–1988
- Education Research and Development Committee 1970–1981
Employment & workplace
- Australian Stevedoring Industry Authority 1956–1977
- Coal Industry Tribunal 1947–1995
- Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration Commission 1956–1973
- Commonwealth Employment Service 1946–1998
- Commonwealth Industrial Court 1956–1973
- Flight Crew Officers' Industrial Tribunal 1967–1989
- Office of the Commissioner for Employees' Compensation 1971–1988
- Public Service Arbitrator 1921–1984
Transport & infrastructure
- Australian Coastal Shipping Commission 1956–1974
- Australian National Airlines Commission 1946–1988
- Bureau of Transport Economics 1970–1988
- Commonwealth Bureau of Roads 1965–1977
- Commonwealth Experimental Building Station 1944–1982
- Commonwealth Railways 1917–1975
- National Urban and Regional Development Authority 1972–1973
- Qantas Airways Limited 1967–1995
Communications & media
- Australian Broadcasting Commission 1932–1983
- Australian Broadcasting Control Board 1949–1977
- Australian Government Publishing Service 1970–1997
- Australian News and Information Bureau 1940–1973
- Overseas Telecommunications Commission (Australia) 1946–1989
Arts, sport & collections
- Australian Council for the Arts 1968–1973
- Australian Film Development Corporation 1970–1975
- Australian War Memorial 1925–present
- Canberra Theatre Trust 1965–1989
- Commonwealth Archives Office 1961–1974
- Commonwealth Art Advisory Board 1912–1973
- Commonwealth Film Unit 1956–1973
- Commonwealth Literary Fund 1908–1973
- Interim Council of the Australian National Gallery 1968–1975
- National Library of Australia 1961–present
Indigenous affairs
- Aboriginal Arts and Crafts Pty Ltd 1971–1990
- Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies 1964–1990
- Council for Aboriginal Affairs 1967–1976
- Welfare Branch 1954–1973
Territories & national capital
- Administration of Papua New Guinea 1971–1973
- Australian Capital Territory Electricity Authority 1963–1988
- Christmas Island Administration 1958–present
- Cocos (Keeling) Islands Administration 1955–present
- National Capital Development Commission 1958–1989
- Norfolk Island Administration 1914–1979
- Northern Territory Administration 1931–1978
- Totalizator Agency Board of the Australian Capital Territory 1964–1989
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 Honey Board 1962–1987
- Australian Meat Board 1936–1977
- Australian Tobacco Board 1965–1995
- Australian Wheat Board 1939–1999
- Australian Wine Board 1936–1981
- Australian Wool Board 1963–1973
- Australian Wool Commission 1970–1973
- Australian Wool Testing Authority 1957–1982
- 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
- Australian Institute of Marine Science 1972–present
- Bureau of Meteorology 1908–present
- Canberra Botanic Gardens 1970–1978
- Ionospheric Prediction Service 1947–2007
- River Murray Commission 1917–1988
- Royal Commission into Exploratory and Production Drilling for Petroleum in the Area of the Great Barrier Reef 1970–1974
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 Commonwealth Naval Board 1911–1976
- Australian Defence Scientific Service 1949–1974
- Australian Military Forces Relief Trust Fund 1947–present
- Australian Services Canteens Organisation 1959–1979
- Commonwealth Government Clothing Factory 1912–1989
- Commonwealth Small Arms Factory 1912–1989
- Courts-Martial Appeal Tribunal 1957–1985
- Defence Signals Division 1964–1978
- Defence Standards Laboratories 1953–1974
- Explosives Factory Maribyrnong 1910–1989
- Explosives Factory Mulwala 1943–1989
- Government Aircraft Factories 1946–1987
- Joint Intelligence Organisation 1969–1990
- Military Board 1905–1976
- Munitions Filling Factory St Marys 1942–1989
- Ordnance Factory Bendigo 1942–1989
- Ordnance Factory Maribyrnong 1924–1989
- RAAF Welfare Recreational Company 1969–present
- 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
- Weapons Research Establishment 1955–1978
- Williamstown Naval Dockyard 1942–1988
Foreign affairs & trade
- Australian Secret Intelligence Service 1952–present
- Australian Tourist Commission 1967–2004
- Australian Trade Commissioner Service 1933–1986
- Export Payments Insurance Corporation 1957–1975
Immigration & border
- Australian Civil Defence School 1956–1978
- Commonwealth Hostels Limited 1951–1978
- Directorate of Civil Defence 1955–1974
- Narcotics Bureau 1969–1979