Department of the Special Minister of State (1983–1987)

Department of the Special Minister of State
Department overview
Formed	11 March 1983
Preceding Department	Department of Administrative Services (II);
Dissolved	24 July 1987
Superseding agency	Department of Industrial Relations (II) - for the Judicial and Statutory Officers Remuneration and Allowances Act, 1984; Department of Administrative Services (III) - for honours and symbols policy, parliamentary facilities, support for Royal Commissions, the Electoral Act and the Grants Commission; Department of Industry, Technology and Commerce - for elements of the Customs Act 1901; Attorney-General's Department - for law enforcement function;
Jurisdiction	Commonwealth of Australia
Ministers responsible	Mick Young, Minister (1983 and 1984‑87); Kim Beazley, Minister (1983‑84);
Department executives	John Menadue, Secretary (1983‑84); Darcy McGaurr, Secretary (1984‑87);

The Department of the Special Minister of State was an Australian government department that existed between March 1983 and July 1987. It was the second so-named Australian government department.

History[edit]

The Department was one of three new Departments established by the Hawke government in March 1983,^[4] to ensure the priorities of the Labor government could be given effect to readily following the federal election of that month.^[5]

The Department was dissolved in July 1987 as part of a large overhaul of the Public Service that reduced the number of departments from 28 to 17.^[6] Its functions were dispersed between several departments, and the department's Secretary, Darcy McGaurr, was appointed an Associate Secretary in the Department of Primary Industries and Energy.^[7]

Scope[edit]

Information about the department's functions and government funding allocation could be found in the Administrative Arrangements Orders, the annual Portfolio Budget Statements and in the Department's annual reports.

The functions of the Department at its creation were:^[1]^[8]

Provision of facilities for members of the Parliament other than in Parliament House
Information Co-ordination
Police Affairs
Co-ordination of protective services

Structure[edit]

The Department was a Commonwealth Public Service department, staffed by officials who were responsible to the Special Minister of State.^[1]

References[edit]

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d CA 3497: Department of the Special Minister of State [II], Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 10 January 2014
^ "Transfers of PS functions". The Canberra Times. 15 March 1983. p. 9.
^ "New permanent heads named". The Canberra Times. 17 March 1983. p. 1.
^ "Hawke outlines departmental changes". The Canberra Times. 11 March 1983. p. 6.
^ Hawke, Robert (10 March 1983), STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER-DESIGNATE, MR BOB HAWKE MP, archived from the original on 11 January 2014
^ Campbell, Rod (15 July 1987). "Enormous PS shake-up: 3000 positions abolished: 11 departments wiped out". The Canberra Times. p. 1.
^ Campbell, Rod (24 July 1987). "Hawke fills top PS jobs". The Canberra Times. p. 1.
^ "Departmental duties". The Canberra Times. 15 March 1983. p. 9.

[NAA_CA_3497-1] CA 3497: Department of the Special Minister of State [II], Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 10 January 2014

[2] "Transfers of PS functions". The Canberra Times. 15 March 1983. p. 9.

[3] "New permanent heads named". The Canberra Times. 17 March 1983. p. 1.

[4] "Hawke outlines departmental changes". The Canberra Times. 11 March 1983. p. 6.

[CreationMR-5] Hawke, Robert (10 March 1983), STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER-DESIGNATE, MR BOB HAWKE MP, archived from the original on 11 January 2014

[6] Campbell, Rod (15 July 1987). "Enormous PS shake-up: 3000 positions abolished: 11 departments wiped out". The Canberra Times. p. 1.

[7] Campbell, Rod (24 July 1987). "Hawke fills top PS jobs". The Canberra Times. p. 1.

[8] "Departmental duties". The Canberra Times. 15 March 1983. p. 9.

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