13th Parliament
Elected 19 December 1931 · first met 17 February 1932 · dissolved 7 August 1934
The changes below took effect from its election on 19 December 1931 to 14 September 1934, the day before the next election, so they count the work of the government it produced.
- James Scullin (Labor)
- Joseph Lyons (United Australia)
Changes
11
1 renamed from3 merged from2 absorbed4 split from1 took over functions from
Departments of State
2 / 4
created / abolished
Other bodies
9 / 4
created / ended
Administrative Arrangements Orders
1
on the Federal Register, which holds few orders before 2001
The biggest reshuffle took effect on 12 April 1932, when 4 changes landed on one day.
What was happening
- Great Depression · October 1929 to December 1933 · Unemployment peaks at about a third of the workforce in 1932. (Pandemic or economic crisis)
Departments of State created (2)
- Department of the Interior 1932–1939
- Department of Commerce 1932–1942
Departments of State abolished (4)
- Department of Works and Railways 1916–1932
- Department of Home Affairs 1928–1932
- Department of Markets 1930–1932
- Department of Transport 1930–1932
Other bodies created (9)
- Australian Broadcasting Commission 1932–1983
- Royal Commission on Performing Rights 1932–1933
- Royal Commission on Taxation 1932–1934
- Australian Trade Commissioner Service 1933–1986
- Commonwealth Grants Commission 1933–present
- Royal Commission on Mineral Oils and Petrol and Other Products of Mineral Oils 1933–1935
- Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory 1934–1992
- Royal Commission on the Wheat, Flour and Bread Industries 1934–1936
- Royal Commission Appointed to Inquire into and Report upon the Circumstances Associated with the Retirement of Lieutenant-Commander Alan Dermot Casey from the Royal Australian Navy 1934
Other bodies ended (4)
- Trade Marks Office 1906–1933
- Designs Office 1907–1933
- Australian Commonwealth Shipping Board 1921–1933
- Royal Commission on Performing Rights 1932–1933
Administrative Arrangements Orders made
- Order of 13 April 1932 · Federal Register of Legislation
Every change (11)
Show every change, day by day
1 January 1934
- High Court of Australia part split off to form Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory
1933
- Department of Commerce part split off to form Australian Trade Commissioner Service
- Trade Marks Office absorbed into Patent Office
- Designs Office absorbed into Patent Office
1 July 1932
- Postmaster-General's Department part split off to form Australian Broadcasting Commission
13 April 1932
- Department of Markets renamed to Department of Commerce
- Department of Transport part split off to form Department of Commerce
12 April 1932
- Department of Home Affairs merged into Department of the Interior
- Department of Works and Railways merged into Department of the Interior
- Department of Transport merged into Department of the Interior
- Department of Home Affairs functions transferred to Department of the Treasury