Department of Human Services
DHS
26 October 2004 – 29 May 2019
Renamed Services Australia in 2019.
Department of State created to oversee and coordinate the delivery of Commonwealth social security, health and child support payments and services, which from July 2011 it delivered directly under the Centrelink, Medicare and Child Support brands.
Names over time
- Department of Human Services2004–2019
- Services Australia2019–2020
How it came into existence
Created by the Administrative Arrangements Order of 26 October 2004, at the start of the fourth Howard ministry, to bring the service delivery agencies (Centrelink, the Health Insurance Commission, the Child Support Agency, CRS Australia, Australian Hearing and Health Services Australia) under one minister. The Child Support Agency, CRS Australia and oversight of Centrelink came from the Department of Family and Community Services, and oversight of the Health Insurance Commission and Health Services Australia from the Department of Health and Ageing.
- Child Support Agency
- CRS Australia
- Portfolio oversight of Centrelink
- Portfolio oversight of the Health Insurance Commission
- Portfolio oversight of Health Services Australia
Changes during its life
- 1 October 2005The Human Services Legislation Amendment Act 2005 abolished the boards of Centrelink and the Health Insurance Commission (renamed Medicare Australia) and made their chief executives responsible to the department's Secretary.
- 1 July 2011Centrelink and Medicare Australia were integrated into the department under the Human Services Legislation Amendment Act 2011, continuing as service brands.
- 18 September 2013The Human Services portfolio became part of the Social Services portfolio under the Abbott government.
- 29 May 2019Adopted the name Services Australia.
- Delivery of social security and family payments
- Delivery of Medicare and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme payments
- Child support registration, assessment and collection
Part of the department from 2004; its separate identity ended with the 2011 integration.
How it ended
Renamed Services Australia on 29 May 2019 by the Administrative Arrangements Order of that date, which named the Department of State Services Australia, as part of the Social Services portfolio.
Main functions
- Service delivery policy and coordination
- Centrelink social security and family payments and services
- Medicare and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme payments
- Child support registration, assessment and collection
- Rehabilitation services (CRS Australia)
- myGov online services (from 2013)
Bodies in this portfolio (6)
- Commonwealth Rehabilitation Service 1948–2015
- Health Insurance Commission 1974–2005
- Child Support Agency 1988–2011
- Commonwealth Services Delivery Agency 1997–2005
- Centrelink 2005–2011
- Medicare Australia 2005–2011
Lineage
Loading lineage…
Sources
Primary sources
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 26 October 2004 (created it)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 29 May 2019 (took effect as it ended)
23 more Administrative Arrangements Orders set it out
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 16 December 2004 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 21 September 2006 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 21 September 2006, as amended to 30 January 2007 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 3 December 2007 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 25 January 2008 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 14 September 2010 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 14 October 2010 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 14 December 2011 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 9 February 2012 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 16 May 2013 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 18 September 2013 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 12 December 2013 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 23 December 2014 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 9 July 2015 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 30 September 2015 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 30 September 2015, as amended to 18 February 2016 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 30 September 2015, as amended to 19 July 2016 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 1 September 2016 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 1 September 2016, as amended to 27 October 2016 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 1 September 2016, as amended to 13 April 2017 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 19 April 2018 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 19 April 2018, as amended to 28 August 2018 (sets it out)
- Administrative Arrangements Order of 4 April 2019 (sets it out)
- Australian Government Organisations Register (Department of Finance, data.gov.au) (listed from 11 December 2014 to 2 April 2019)
Some dates or links for this organisation are not fully confirmed. Corrections are welcome.