Identity area
Type of entity
Corporate body
Authorized form of name
Department of Territories & Local Government - Central Office
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
11 March 1983 - 13 December 1984
History
The Department of Territories and Local Government was created on 11 March 1983 by a meeting of the Federal Executive Council (notified in Commonwealth Gazette, No S45, 11 March 1983). In his Press Statement of 10 March 1983 the Prime Minister Designate (the Hon R J Hawke) stated that the Department of the Capital Territory (CA 1477) had been renamed the Department of Territories and Local Government in view of significant changes of functions. The Government had decided that:
"the Territories and important local government responsibilities of
the Commonwealth would be located with the Department of the
Capital Territory, as a department of Territories and Local
Government. With our commitment towards self government in the ACT,
a department solely with Capital Territory responsibilities no
longer seems warranted."
The Administrative Arrangements Orders of 11 March 1983 (notified in Commonwealth Gazette, No S46, 11 March 1983) stated that the new Department dealt with the following 'principal matters':
. Administration of the Australian Capital Territory, the Jervis Bay
Territory, the Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands, the Territory
of Christmas Island, the Coral Seas Islands Territory and the
Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands and of Commonwealth
responsibilities on Norfolk Island
. Constitutional development of the Northern Territory of Australia
. Matters relating to local government.
The new Department inherited responsibility for the administration of the Australian Capital Territory and Jervis Bay Territory from the former Department of the Capital Territory (CA 1477) and the function of local government from the Department of National Development and Energy (CA 2979). The other principal matters in the above list were received from the Department of Home Affairs and Environment (CA 3068).
The same Administrative Arrangements Orders stated that the Minister for Territories and Local Government was responsible for the
administration of the following legislation:
. Ashmore and Cartier Islands Acceptance Act 1933
. Australian Capital Territory Electricity Supply Act 1962
. Australian Capital Territory Gaming and Liquor Authority Act 1981
. Australian Federal Police Act 1979, section 69
. Canberra Water Supply (Googong Dam) Act 1974
. Christmas Island Agreement Acts
. Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act 1955
. Commonwealth Functions (Statutes Review) Act 1981, Part II
. Coral Sea Islands Act 1969
. Darwin Lands Acquisition Act 1945
. Jervis Bay Territory Acceptance Act 1915
. National Capital Development Commission Act 1957
. Norfolk Island Act 1979
. Northern Territory Acceptance Act 1910
. Northern Territory (Self-Government) Act 1978, except section 69
and 70
. Parliament Act 1974
. Parliament House Construction Authority Act 1979
. Removal of Prisoners (Territories) Act 1923, insofar as it relates
relates to the Northern Territory of Australia (except to the
extent administered by the Attorney-General) and to Norfolk
Island, the Territory of Cocos, Keeling) Islands, the Territory of
Christmas Island, the Coral Sea Islands Territory and the
Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands
. Seat of Government Acceptance Acts
. Seat of Government Act 1908
. Seat of Government (Administration) Acts.
The Acts were received from the Department of the Capital Territory with the exception of the Christmas Island Agreement Acts which were gained from the Department of Administrative Services [II] (CA 1964) and the following legislation inherited from the Department of Home Affairs and Environment:
. Ashmore and Cartier Islands Acceptance Act 1933
. Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act 1955
. Coral Seas Islands Act 1969
. Darwin Lands Acquisition Act 1945
. Norfolk Island act 1979
. Northern Territory Acceptance Act 1910
. Northern Territory (Self Government) Act 1978 except sections 69
and 70
. Removal of Prisoners (Territories) Act 1923, insofar as it relates
to the Northern Territory of Australia (except to the extent
administered by the Attorney-General) and to Norfolk Island, the
Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands, the Territory of Christmas
Island, the Coral Sea Islands Territory and the Territory of
Ashmore and Cartier Islands.
In the Administrative Arrangements Orders of 1 July 1983 the
Department of Territories and Local Government received
responsibility for the Local Government (Personal Income Tax Sharing) Act 1976 from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet (CA 1401).
In the changes of 1984, the Department inherited responsibility for administration of the part of the Urban and Regional Development (Financial Assistance) Act 1974 relating to local government which was previously administered by the Department of Industry and Commerce [II] (CA 3256). The Australian Capital Territory Gaming and Liquor Authority Act 1981 does not appear in the Administrative Arrangements Orders of 1 July 1984 as it was only a temporary legislation.
In the 1983 edition of the Commonwealth Directory, the Department of Territories and Local Government is described as consisting of the following divisions:
. Community Services
. Lands
. Management Services
. Policy and Program Co-ordination
. Territories
. Traffic and Transport.
The Administrative Arrangements Orders of 13 December 1984 (notified in Commonwealth Gazette, No S520, 13 December 1984) stated that the Department of Territories and Local Government (CA 3499) would be renamed the Department of Territories [II] (CA 4135).
Matters dealt with by the Department of Territories and Local Government passed to the Department of Territories [II] (CA 4135) and the Department of Local Government and Administrative Services (CA 4137).
The Department of Territories [II] inherited all the functions of the Department of Territories and Local Government except for
responsiblity for matters relating to local government and
administration of the following acts:
. The Local Government (Personal Income Tax Sharing) Act 1976;
. Urban and Regional Development (Financial Assistance) Act 1974,
except to the extent administered by the Minister for Arts,
Heritage and Environment.
Minister for the Department was:
11 Mar 1983 - 13 Dec 1984: Hon Thomas Uren.
Secretaries to the Department were:
11 Mar 1983 - 3 May 1983: A S Blunn
24 May 1983 - 13 Dec 1984: J D Enfield
Historical agency address
PO Box 158, Canberra City
Legislation administered
Creation: Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No. S45, 11 March 1983
Abolition: Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No. S520, 13 December 1984