39th Parliament
Elected 3 October 1998 · first met 10 November 1998 · dissolved 8 October 2001
The changes below took effect from its election on 3 October 1998 to 9 November 2001, the day before the next election, so they count the work of the government it produced.
- John Howard (Liberal)
Changes
56
14 renamed from8 merged from5 absorbed19 split from5 took over functions from5 replaced
Departments of State
10 / 9
created / abolished
Other bodies
40 / 39
created / ended
Administrative Arrangements Orders
0
on the Federal Register, which holds few orders before 2001
The biggest reshuffle took effect on 21 October 1998, when 17 changes landed on one day.
What was happening
- INTERFET, East Timor · 20 September 1999 to 23 February 2000 · Australia leads the international force in East Timor until the United Nations takes over. (War or armed conflict)
- Republic referendum · 6 November 1999 · The proposal for a republic is defeated. (National milestone)
- Sydney Olympics · 15 September 2000 · The Games of the XXVII Olympiad open in Sydney. (National milestone)
- War in Afghanistan · 7 October 2001 to 30 June 2021 · Australian involvement, from the first commitment of forces to the withdrawal of the last troops. (War or armed conflict)
Departments of State created (10)
- Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry 1998–2013
- Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts 1998–2007
- Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs 1998–2001
- Department of Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business 1998–2001
- Department of Family and Community Services 1998–2006
- Department of Health and Aged Care 1998–2001
- Department of Industry, Science and Resources 1998–2001
- Department of the Environment and Heritage 1998–2007
- Department of Transport and Regional Services 1998–2007
- Department of Reconciliation and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs 2001
Departments of State abolished (9)
- Department of Social Security 1972–1998
- Department of Primary Industries and Energy 1987–1998
- Department of Communications and the Arts 1994–1998
- Department of Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs 1996–1998
- Department of Health and Family Services 1996–1998
- Department of Industry, Science and Tourism 1996–1998
- Department of Transport and Regional Development 1996–1998
- Department of Workplace Relations and Small Business 1997–1998
- Department of the Environment 1997–1998
Other bodies created (40)
Show all 40 bodies created
- Trade Measures Review Officer 1998–2013
- Bureau of Transport and Regional Economics 1999–2008
- Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency 1999–2012
- Interim Office of the Gene Technology Regulator 1999–2001
- National Oceans Office 1999–2005
- ScreenSound Australia 1999–2003
- Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency 1999–present
- Migration Review Tribunal 1999–2015
- Australian Office of Financial Management 1999–present
- Australian Transport Safety Bureau 1999–present
- Wheat Export Authority 1999–2008
- Federal Magistrates Court 1999–2013
- NetAlert Limited 1999–2006
- Merit Protection Commissioner 1999–present
- Australia Business Arts Foundation 2000–2013
- Australian Council for Safety and Quality in Health Care 2000–2006
- Commissioner for Complaints 2000–2007
- Dairy Adjustment Authority 2000–2008
- Financial Reporting Council 2000–present
- National Institute of Clinical Studies 2000–2007
- Takeovers Panel 2000–present
- Australian Universities Quality Agency 2000–2011
- CrimTrac Agency 2000–2016
- Defence Materiel Organisation 2000–2015
- Office of the Privacy Commissioner 2000–2010
- Director of National Parks 2000–present
- Biosecurity Australia 2000–2009
- Defence Imagery and Geospatial Organisation 2000–2013
- Australian Strategic Policy Institute Ltd 2001–present
- Council on Australia Latin America Relations 2001–present
- Enterprise and Career Education Foundation 2001–2004
- General Practice Education and Training 2001–2015
- Indigenous Business Australia 2001–present
- Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator 2001–2012
- Sydney Harbour Federation Trust 2001–present
- Office of the Gene Technology Regulator 2001–present
- Australian Research Council 2001–present
- Geoscience Australia 2001–present
- Royal Commission into HIH Insurance 2001–2003
- Royal Commission into the Building and Construction Industry 2001–2003
Other bodies ended (39)
Show all 39 bodies ended
- Australian Wheat Board 1939–1999
- Australian Radiation Laboratory 1973–1999
- Federal Office of Road Safety 1974–1999
- Director of National Parks and Wildlife 1975–2000
- Bureau of Air Safety Investigation 1982–1999
- Merit Protection and Review Agency 1984–1999
- National Film and Sound Archive 1984–1999
- Affirmative Action Agency 1986–1999
- Australian Pork Corporation 1987–2001
- Australian Surveying and Land Information Group 1987–2001
- Anti-Dumping Authority 1988–1998
- Australian Horticultural Corporation 1988–2001
- Horticultural Research and Development Corporation 1988–2001
- Textiles, Clothing and Footwear Development Authority 1988–1999
- Australian Research Council 1988–2001
- National Board of Employment, Education and Training 1988–2000
- Australian Defence Industries Pty Ltd 1989–1999
- Immigration Review Tribunal 1989–1999
- Migration Internal Review Office 1989–1999
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commercial Development Corporation 1990–2001
- Marine Incident Investigation Unit 1990–1999
- Pig Research and Development Corporation 1990–2001
- Corporations and Securities Panel 1991–2000
- Australian Dried Fruits Board 1991–2001
- Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation 1991–2001
- Nuclear Safety Bureau 1992–1999
- National Transmission Agency 1992–1999
- Australian Geological Survey Organisation 1992–2001
- Australian Wool Research and Promotion Organisation 1993–2001
- Wool International 1993–1999
- Australian Student Traineeship Foundation 1994–2001
- Australian Multimedia Enterprise Limited 1995–1999
- Office of National Tourism 1996–1998
- Bureau of Transport Economics 1997–1999
- Defence Acquisition Organisation 1997–2000
- Office for Government Online 1997–2000
- Office of Asset Sales and Information Technology Outsourcing 1997–2001
- Australian Imagery Organisation 1998–2000
- Interim Office of the Gene Technology Regulator 1999–2001
Every change (56)
Show every change, day by day
1 July 2001
- Australian Research Council replaced by Australian Research Council
- Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs part split off to form Australian Research Council
2001
- Office of Asset Sales and Information Technology Outsourcing absorbed into Department of Finance and Administration
- Australian Student Traineeship Foundation renamed to Enterprise and Career Education Foundation
- Australian Surveying and Land Information Group absorbed into Geoscience Australia
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commercial Development Corporation renamed to Indigenous Business Australia
8 November 2000
- Australian Imagery Organisation merged into Defence Imagery and Geospatial Organisation
- Department of Defence part split off to form Defence Imagery and Geospatial Organisation
October 2000
- Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service part split off to form Biosecurity Australia
1 July 2000
- Defence Acquisition Organisation merged into Defence Materiel Organisation
- Department of Defence part split off to form Defence Materiel Organisation
- Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission part split off to form Office of the Privacy Commissioner
December 1999
- Family Court of Australia part split off to form Federal Magistrates Court
- Federal Court of Australia part split off to form Federal Magistrates Court
8 October 1999
- Australian Prudential Regulation Authority functions transferred to Australian Taxation Office
1 July 1999
- Department of the Treasury part split off to form Australian Office of Financial Management
- Bureau of Air Safety Investigation merged into Australian Transport Safety Bureau
- Marine Incident Investigation Unit merged into Australian Transport Safety Bureau
- Federal Office of Road Safety merged into Australian Transport Safety Bureau
- Federal Office of Road Safety functions transferred to Department of Transport and Regional Services
- Australian Wheat Board part split off to form Wheat Export Authority
1999
- Australian Customs Service functions transferred to Australian Taxation Office
- Bureau of Transport Economics renamed to Bureau of Transport and Regional Economics
- Affirmative Action Agency renamed to Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency
- Department of Health and Aged Care part split off to form Interim Office of the Gene Technology Regulator
- Department of the Environment and Heritage part split off to form National Oceans Office
- National Film and Sound Archive renamed to ScreenSound Australia
21 October 1998
- Department of Industry, Science and Tourism functions transferred to Attorney-General's Department
- Department of Primary Industries and Energy part split off to form Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
- Department of Communications and the Arts renamed to Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts
- Department of Finance and Administration part split off to form Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts
- Department of Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs part split off to form Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs
- Department of Workplace Relations and Small Business renamed to Department of Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business
- Department of Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs part split off to form Department of Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business
- Department of Social Security merged into Department of Family and Community Services
- Department of Health and Family Services part split off to form Department of Family and Community Services
- Department of Health and Family Services renamed to Department of Health and Aged Care
- Department of Industry, Science and Tourism renamed to Department of Industry, Science and Resources
- Department of Primary Industries and Energy part split off to form Department of Industry, Science and Resources
- Office of National Tourism absorbed into Department of Industry, Science and Resources
- Department of the Environment renamed to Department of the Environment and Heritage
- Department of Communications and the Arts part split off to form Department of the Environment and Heritage
- Department of Industry, Science and Tourism functions transferred to Department of the Treasury
- Department of Transport and Regional Development renamed to Department of Transport and Regional Services