Department of the Interior (1932–39)

The Department of the Interior was an Australian government department that existed between April 1932 and April 1939. It was the first so-named Australian Government department to be created, and was replaced by the Department of the Interior (II).

Department of the Interior
Department overview
Formed12 April 1932[1]
Preceding Department
Dissolved26 April 1939
Superseding agency
JurisdictionCommonwealth of Australia
HeadquartersCanberra
Ministers responsible
Department executives

Scope

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

The Department was a composite department and dealt with a diverse range of activities.[2] According to National Archives of Australia records, at its creation the Department dealt with:[1]

  • Aliens Registration
  • Astronomy
  • Australian War Memorial
  • Commonwealth Literary Fund
  • Conveyance of Members of Parliament and others
  • Co-ordination of Australian Transport Services
  • Elections and Franchise
  • Emigration of children and aboriginals
  • Federal Transport Council
  • Forestry
  • Geodesy
  • Immigration
  • Indentured Coloured Labour
  • Lands and Survey
  • Meteorology
  • Naturalization
  • Northern Territory
  • Oil Investigation and Prospecting (Encouragement of)
  • Passports
  • Pearl Shelling and Trepang Fisheries in Australian waters beyond Territorial Limits
  • Properties (a) transferred (b) acquired (c) rented
  • Prospecting for precious metals (assistance for)
  • Public Works and Services
  • Railways
  • Rivers, roads and bridges
  • Seat of Government
  • Solar Observatory
  • War Service Homes
  • Waterside employment

Structure

The Department was a Commonwealth Public Service department, staffed by officials who were responsible to the Minister for the Interior.[1]

Notes

  1. CA 27: Department of the Interior [I], Central Administration, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 11 December 2013
  2. ArchivesACT 1964, pp. 1,8.

References and further reading


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