Department of Home Affairs and Environment
3 November 1980 – 13 December 1984
Previously Department of Home Affairs (1977–1980). Renamed Department of Arts, Heritage and Environment in 1984.
Department of State responsible for the arts, national collections and archives, the environment, conservation, national parks and heritage, and, until 1983, sport and recreation, Norfolk Island and other external territories, and residual Northern Territory matters.
Names over time
- Department of Home Affairs1977–1980
- Department of Home Affairs and Environment1980–1984
- Department of Arts, Heritage and Environment1984–1987
How it came into existence
Created by the Administrative Arrangements Order of 3 November 1980, when the Department of Home Affairs took over the environment functions of the abolished Department of Science and the Environment; Bob Ellicott was the first Minister for Home Affairs and Environment, and Barry Cohen held the portfolio under the Hawke government.
- Arts and national collections
- National archives
- Women's affairs
- Norfolk Island
- Northern Territory constitutional development
- Sport and recreation
- Environment protection and conservation
- National parks and wildlife
- National estate
- Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
- Environmental supervision of the Alligator Rivers Region
Changes during its life
- Elite sport development
- Women's affairs (Office of Women's Affairs)
The Office of Women's Affairs returned to Prime Minister and Cabinet in 1982 (possibly with the 7 May 1982 rearrangement) and became the Office of the Status of Women in 1983; the exact date is not confirmed.
- Sport and recreation
- Australian Institute of Sport
- External territories
- Residual Northern Territory matters
How it ended
Renamed the Department of Arts, Heritage and Environment on 13 December 1984. It had earlier lost women's affairs to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (1982), and on 11 March 1983 sport and recreation to the Department of Sport, Recreation and Tourism and its territories functions to the Department of Territories and Local Government.
- Arts
- Heritage and the national estate
- Environment and conservation
- National parks and wildlife
Main functions
- Support for the arts and national cultural institutions
- National archives (Australian Archives)
- Environment protection and conservation
- National parks and wildlife
- National estate and heritage (Australian Heritage Commission)
- Sport and recreation, including the Australian Institute of Sport (to 1983)
- External territories, including Norfolk Island, and residual Northern Territory matters (to 1983)
- Women's affairs (to 1982)
Bodies in this portfolio (3)
- Office of Women's Affairs 1977–1983
- National Botanic Gardens 1978–1984
- National Australia Day Committee 1979–1984
Lineage
Loading lineage…
Sources
Primary sources
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 11 March 1983 (sets it out)