Department of the Interior (1932–39)
| Department overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 12 April 1932[1] |
| Preceding Department | |
| Dissolved | 26 April 1939 |
| Superseding agency | |
| Jurisdiction | Commonwealth of Australia |
| Headquarters | Canberra |
| Ministers responsible |
|
| Department executives |
|
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).
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 2 3 CA 27: Department of the Interior [I], Central Administration, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 11 December 2013
- ↑ ArchivesACT 1964, pp. 1,8.
References and further reading
- A short history of the Department of the Interior (PDF), ArchivesACT, 1964, archived from the original (PDF) on 11 May 2013