Department of the Interior (1939–72)

The Department of the Interior was an Australian government department that existed between April 1939 and December 1972. It was the second so-named Australian Government department.

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 diverse and dealt with a broad range of activities.^[2] According to the Administrative Arrangements Order (AAO) made on 30 November 1939, the Department dealt with:^[1]

• Aliens - registration of
• Ashmore and Cartier Islands
• Assisted Migration
• Astronomy
• Australian Capital Territory - administration of
• Australian War Memorial
• Conveyance of Members of Parliament and others
• Co-ordination of Australian Transport Services
• Elections and franchise
• Emigration of children and aboriginals
• Forestry
• Geodesy
• Immigration
• Indentured Coloured labour
• Lands and Surveys
• Maintenance and operation of electric light,water and sewerage services in the Australian Capital Territory
• Meteorology
• Naturalisation
• Northern Territory
• Oil Investigation and prospecting
• Passports
• Preparation of design and execution of all Commonwealth Architectural and Engineering Works in the States, Northern Territory and ACT including works for the Commonwealth Bank of Australia
• Properties transferred, rented or acquired
• Public Works and Services
• Prospecting for precious metals (assistance for)
• Railways
• River Murray Waters Commission
• Rivers, roads and bridges
• Solar observatory

Structure

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

Notes

References and further reading