Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Australia)

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R. G. Casey House, the headquarters of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is an Australian Government department. Its role is to manage relations between Australia and other nations, both in political and economic terms. The department is an amalgamation of two of the original government departments created shortly after the federation of Australia, the Department of Trade and Customs and the Department of External Affairs, and was created in 1987.

The headquarters of the Department are located in Canberra in the suburb of Barton, Australian Capital Territory on State Circle between Brisbane Ave and Sydney Ave, near Parliament House.

1 Functions
2 Structure
3 Oil-for-Food Program
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] Functions

DFAT is responsible for implementing much of Australia's foreign policy through its diplomatic efforts. The department's main aim is to protect and advance the national interest of Australia — as defined by the federal government — and to promote Australia overseas. The department helps to develop and administer trade between Australia and other nations by providing links to business and governments overseas and also by researching the various factors involved with such trade. DFAT also maintains all consular and passport services to Australian citizens in both Australia and overseas, and operates Australian embassies, High Commissions, consulates and various other international governmental offices.

Although not directly controlled by DFAT, within the foreign affairs portfolio are several smaller agencies that work with the department to carry out Australian foreign policy. The most significant ones are the Australian Secret Intelligence Service, Austrade (responsible for assisting Australian exporters), and AusAID (responsible for managing the delivery of foreign aid).

[edit] Structure

The department is managed by the Senior Executive, comprising the Secretary and five deputy secretaries.

The department maintains offices in each State and in the Northern Territory, to provide consular and passport services and to perform an important liaison service for business throughout Australia. In addition, it has a Torres Strait Treaty Liaison Office on Thursday Island.

DFAT manages a network of over 80 overseas posts, including Australian embassies, high commissions, consulates-general and consulates.

DFAT has around 3,300 employees, including 1,300 foreign staff, known as LES - Locally Employed Staff. The remaining 2,000 staff are Australian commonwealth public servants. At any given time about one quarter of these 'A-based staff' are posted overseas, generally for three years.

DFAT is compartmentalised into several divisions, each headed by a first assistant secretary who would typically hold a Senior Executive Service grade in the Australian Public Service:

Americas Division
Europe Division
North Asia Division
South and West Asia, Middle East and Africa Division
South East Asia Division
Pacific Division

International Security Division
Office of Trade Negotiations
Consular, Public Diplomacy and Parliamentary Affairs Division
Trade Development Division
Economic Analytical Unit

International Organisations and Legal Division
Corporate Management Division
Diplomatic Security, Information Management and Services Division
Australian Passport Office
Overseas Property Office

[edit] Oil-for-Food Program

In 2005, DFAT became embroiled in the Oil-for-Food Programme scandal after it was revealed it had approved the Australian Wheat Board's (AWB) request allowing it to pay 'trucking charges' to Alia, a Jordanian trucking company with no actual involvement in the trucking of Australian wheat within Iraq. The Cole Inquiry into the AWB was established, however its terms of reference excluded any investigation of the role of DFAT. [1]