22nd Parliament
Elected 10 December 1955 · first met 15 February 1956 · dissolved 14 October 1958
The changes below took effect from its election on 10 December 1955 to 21 November 1958, the day before the next election, so they count the work of the government it produced.
- Robert Menzies (Liberal)
Changes
18
2 absorbed11 split from2 took over functions from3 replaced
Departments of State
3 / 3
created / abolished
Other bodies
12 / 7
created / ended
Administrative Arrangements Orders
0
on the Federal Register, which holds few orders before 2001
The biggest reshuffle took effect on 11 January 1956, when 5 changes landed on one day.
What was happening
- Malayan Emergency · June 1950 to 31 July 1960 · Australian involvement, from the first RAAF deployment to the end of the Emergency. (War or armed conflict)
Departments of State created (3)
- Department of Customs and Excise 1956–1975
- Department of Primary Industry 1956–1974
- Department of Trade 1956–1963
Departments of State abolished (3)
- Department of Trade and Customs 1901–1956
- Department of Commerce and Agriculture 1942–1956
- Department of Defence Production 1951–1958
Other bodies created (12)
- Australian Coastal Shipping Commission 1956–1974
- Australian Stevedoring Industry Authority 1956–1977
- Commonwealth Film Unit 1956–1973
- Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration Commission 1956–1973
- Commonwealth Industrial Court 1956–1973
- Australian Civil Defence School 1956–1978
- Australian Wool Testing Authority 1957–1982
- Courts-Martial Appeal Tribunal 1957–1985
- Export Payments Insurance Corporation 1957–1975
- National Biological Standards Laboratory 1958–1989
- National Capital Development Commission 1958–1989
- Christmas Island Administration 1958–present
Other bodies ended (7)
- Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration 1904–1956
- National Capital Planning and Development Committee 1938–1958
- Australian Shipbuilding Board 1941–1957
- Commonwealth Observatory 1945–1957
- Australian Shipping Board 1946–1956
- Australian Stevedoring Industry Board 1949–1956
- Australian Whaling Commission 1949–1956
Every change (18)
Show every change, day by day
1958
- Department of Health part split off to form National Biological Standards Laboratory
1957
- Commonwealth Observatory absorbed into Australian National University
- Australian Shipbuilding Board functions transferred to Department of Shipping and Transport
2 July 1956
- Directorate of Civil Defence part split off to form Australian Civil Defence School
30 June 1956
- Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration part split off to form Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration Commission
- Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration part split off to form Commonwealth Industrial Court
11 January 1956
- Department of Trade and Customs part split off to form Department of Customs and Excise
- Department of Commerce and Agriculture part split off to form Department of Primary Industry
- Department of Trade and Customs part split off to form Department of Trade
- Department of Commerce and Agriculture part split off to form Department of Trade
- Department of National Development part split off to form Department of Trade
1956
- Australian Shipping Board replaced by Australian Coastal Shipping Commission
- Australian Stevedoring Industry Board replaced by Australian Stevedoring Industry Authority
- Australian News and Information Bureau part split off to form Commonwealth Film Unit
- Department of the Interior functions transferred to Department of National Development