31st Parliament
Elected 10 December 1977 · first met 21 February 1978 · dissolved 19 September 1980
The changes below took effect from its election on 10 December 1977 to 17 October 1980, the day before the next election, so they count the work of the government it produced.
- Malcolm Fraser (Liberal)
Changes
39
9 renamed from6 merged from1 absorbed15 split from3 took over functions from5 replaced
Departments of State
9 / 8
created / abolished
Other bodies
36 / 27
created / ended
Administrative Arrangements Orders
0
on the Federal Register, which holds few orders before 2001
The biggest reshuffle took effect on 5 December 1978, when 8 changes landed on one day.
Departments of State created (9)
- Department of Home Affairs 1977–1980
- Department of National Development 1977–1979
- Department of Special Trade Representations 1977–1980
- Department of Trade and Resources 1977–1983
- Department of Employment and Youth Affairs 1978–1982
- Department of Housing and Construction 1978–1982
- Department of Industrial Relations 1978–1982
- Department of Science and the Environment 1978–1980
- Department of National Development and Energy 1979–1983
Departments of State abolished (8)
- Department of Overseas Trade 1972–1977
- Department of Construction 1975–1978
- Department of Employment and Industrial Relations 1975–1978
- Department of Environment, Housing and Community Development 1975–1978
- Department of National Resources 1975–1977
- Department of Science 1975–1978
- Department of the Northern Territory 1975–1978
- Department of National Development 1977–1979
Other bodies created (36)
Show all 36 bodies created
- Australia-China Council 1978–2020
- Australian Counter Disaster College 1978–1993
- Australian Maritime College 1978–2008
- Australian Overseas Projects Corporation 1978–1986
- Bureau of Flora and Fauna 1978–1988
- Commonwealth Accommodation and Catering Services Limited 1978–1988
- Defence Signals Directorate 1978–2013
- National Energy Research, Development and Demonstration Council 1978–1990
- Office of the Registrar of Aboriginal Corporations 1978–2007
- Primary Industry Bank of Australia Limited 1978–1994
- Special Broadcasting Service 1978–1991
- Supervising Scientist for the Alligator Rivers Region 1978–1994
- Tiwi Land Council 1978–present
- Office of National Assessments 1978–2018
- Defence Research Centre Salisbury 1978–1987
- Royal Commission of Inquiry into Matters in Relation to Electoral Redistribution, Queensland, 1977 1978
- National Botanic Gardens 1978–1984
- Army and Air Force Canteen Service 1979–present
- Australian Canned Fruits Corporation 1979–1988
- Australian Dried Fruits Corporation 1979–1991
- Australian Institute of Multicultural Affairs 1979–1986
- National Australia Day Committee 1979–1984
- Parliament House Construction Authority 1979–1989
- Repatriation Review Tribunal 1979–1985
- Commission of Inquiry into the Efficiency and Administration of Hospitals 1979–1981
- Australian Federal Police 1979–present
- Commission of Inquiry into the Viability of the Christmas Island Phosphate Industry 1979–1980
- Australian Bicentennial Authority 1980–1989
- Bureau of Labour Market Research 1980–1986
- Commonwealth Institute of Health 1980–1984
- National Companies and Securities Commission 1980–1991
- National Museum of Australia 1980–present
- Security Appeals Tribunal 1980–1995
- Australian Institute of Family Studies 1980–present
- Aboriginal Development Commission 1980–1990
- Royal Commission on the Activities of the Federated Ship Painters and Dockers Union 1980–1984
Other bodies ended (27)
Show all 27 bodies ended
- Northern Territory Police Force 1911–1978
- Norfolk Island Administration 1914–1979
- Dried Fruits Control Board 1924–1979
- Assessment Appeal Tribunals 1929–1979
- War Pensions Entitlement Appeal Tribunal 1929–1979
- School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine 1930–1980
- Northern Territory Administration 1931–1978
- Supreme Court of the Northern Territory 1931–1979
- Australian Canned Fruits Board 1938–1979
- Australian Capital Territory Police 1938–1979
- Commonwealth Hostels Limited 1951–1978
- Weapons Research Establishment 1955–1978
- Australian Civil Defence School 1956–1978
- Australian Services Canteens Organisation 1959–1979
- Northern Territory Housing Commission 1959–1978
- Commonwealth Police Force 1960–1979
- Defence Signals Division 1964–1978
- Narcotics Bureau 1969–1979
- Canberra Botanic Gardens 1970–1978
- Hospitals and Health Services Commission 1973–1978
- Aboriginal Land Fund Commission 1974–1980
- Aboriginal Loans Commission 1974–1980
- Royal Commission on Human Relationships 1974–1978
- Darwin Reconstruction Commission 1975–1978
- Australian Royal Commission of Inquiry into Drugs 1977–1980
- Royal Commission of Inquiry into Matters in Relation to Electoral Redistribution, Queensland, 1977 1978
- Commission of Inquiry into the Viability of the Christmas Island Phosphate Industry 1979–1980
Every change (39)
Show every change, day by day
19 October 1979
- Commonwealth Police Force renamed to Australian Federal Police
- Australian Capital Territory Police merged into Australian Federal Police
- Narcotics Bureau merged into Australian Federal Police
1979
- Australian Services Canteens Organisation renamed to Army and Air Force Canteen Service
- Australian Canned Fruits Board replaced by Australian Canned Fruits Corporation
- War Pensions Entitlement Appeal Tribunal replaced by Repatriation Review Tribunal
- Assessment Appeal Tribunals replaced by Repatriation Review Tribunal
5 December 1978
- Department of Employment and Industrial Relations part split off to form Department of Employment and Youth Affairs
- Department of Environment, Housing and Community Development functions transferred to Department of Home Affairs
- Department of Construction merged into Department of Housing and Construction
- Department of Environment, Housing and Community Development part split off to form Department of Housing and Construction
- Department of Employment and Industrial Relations part split off to form Department of Industrial Relations
- Department of Environment, Housing and Community Development functions transferred to Department of National Development
- Department of Science renamed to Department of Science and the Environment
- Department of Environment, Housing and Community Development part split off to form Department of Science and the Environment
28 September 1978
- Department of the Northern Territory functions transferred to Department of Home Affairs
20 February 1978
- Joint Intelligence Organisation part split off to form Office of National Assessments
1978
- Australian Civil Defence School renamed to Australian Counter Disaster College
- Department of Science part split off to form Bureau of Flora and Fauna
- Commonwealth Hostels Limited renamed to Commonwealth Accommodation and Catering Services Limited
- Defence Signals Division renamed to Defence Signals Directorate
- Hospitals and Health Services Commission absorbed into Department of Health
- Northern Land Council part split off to form Tiwi Land Council
1 January 1978
- Postal and Telecommunications Department part split off to form Special Broadcasting Service
20 December 1977
- Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet part split off to form Department of Home Affairs
- Department of Administrative Services part split off to form Department of Home Affairs
- Department of National Resources part split off to form Department of National Development
- Department of Environment, Housing and Community Development part split off to form Department of National Development
- Department of Overseas Trade part split off to form Department of Special Trade Representations
- Department of Overseas Trade merged into Department of Trade and Resources
- Department of National Resources part split off to form Department of Trade and Resources