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Foreign affairs & tradeStatutory authority

Australian Trade Commission

Austrade

6 January 1986 – 1 May 2016

Renamed Australian Trade and Investment Commission in 2016.

The Commonwealth's trade promotion agency, running the overseas trade commissioner network, export advice and the export market development grants scheme, with inward investment promotion from 2008 and tourism policy and research from 2013.

Names over time

  1. Australian Trade Commission1986–2016
  2. Australian Trade and Investment Commission2016–present

How it came into existence

Established on 6 January 1986 under the Australian Trade Commission Act 1985 as a statutory corporation in the trade portfolio, merging the Australian Trade Commissioner Service, the Export Development Grants Board, the Australian Overseas Projects Corporation and the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation with the trade promotion areas of the Department of Trade.

Legislation: Australian Trade Commission Act 1985

Changes during its life

  1. 24 July 1987Moved to the new Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade portfolio when the Department of Trade merged with the Department of Foreign Affairs.
  2. 1 July 2006Ceased to operate as a statutory corporation and became a prescribed agency under the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997.
  • Absorbed Invest Australia · 1 July 2008
    • Inward investment promotion and facilitation
  • Took over functions from Department of Industry · 3 October 2013
    • Tourism policy and programs
    • Tourism Research Australia

    The amended Administrative Arrangements Order of 3 October 2013 placed tourism in the Foreign Affairs and Trade portfolio, delivered through Austrade. Tourism policy and Tourism Research Australia had gone from the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism to the Department of Industry on 18 September 2013.

How it ended

Renamed the Australian Trade and Investment Commission on 1 May 2016, when Schedule 2 of the Trade Legislation Amendment Act (No. 1) 2016 took effect and renamed the 1985 Act; the agency and its functions continued.

Main functions

  • Overseas trade commissioner network
  • Export promotion and advice to exporters
  • Export Market Development Grants scheme
  • Export finance and insurance (1986–1991)
  • Inward investment promotion (from 2008)
  • Tourism policy, programs and research (from 2013)
  • Consular and passport services at some overseas posts

Where it sits

Last in the portfolio of Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Lineage

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Sources

Some dates or links for this organisation are not fully confirmed. Corrections are welcome.