The ACT Administration Central Office was established as a result of the Administrative Arrangements Orders of 24 July 1987. It operated within the Department of Arts, Sport, the Environment, Tourism and Territories (CA 5984) and was responsible for matters relating to the Australian Capital Territory. The Australian Capital Territory was formerly administered by the Department of Territories [II] (CA 4135).

The ACT Administration Central Office performed many functions for the ACT which, in the states, are performed by State government departments and municipal councils. Separate from Central Office were the ACT Health Authority and the ACT Schools Authority which provided health services and education (to college level) and the National Capital Development Commission which was responsible for the planning, design and construction of Canberra. The Canberra College of Advanced Education was also an independent body within the ACT Administration. Law enforcement and policy security matters were the responsibility of the Attorney-General.

The Canberra Fire Brigade was established under the Department of Home and Territories by June 1924. The Chief Fire Officer was charged with fire prevention and fighting, the maintenance of watchmen's' clock systems, fire alarms and fire equipment, the inspection of explosive magazines and enforcement of ordinances relating to fire prevention and control. The First officer-in-charge and later Chief Fire Officer was PF Douglas. The Brigade was headquartered at Empire Circuit, Forrest from June 1924, on the site of the old Narrabundah School.

Administration of the Forrest Fire Station, Canberra Fire Brigade has undergone some complex changes, involving two levels of administrative responsibility. From its creation in 1924 until 1958, the Forrest Fire Station, Canberra Fire Brigade was directly administered by a number of different successive sub-agencies under a Department of State. These sub-agencies handled all administration; staffing, leave, pay, equipment and implementation of major policy initiatives.

An extra level was added to this pattern when in 1958 administration of the Forrest Fire Station, Canberra Fire Brigade was handed over to the NSW Board of Fire Commissioners. The Board was thereafter entrusted with the staffing, training, equipment and financing of the Forrest Fire Station, and with the Ainslie, Phillip and Belconnen Fire Stations when opened in 1962, 1967 and 1971 respectively. Under this arrangement nominal administrative responsibility remained with the appropriate sub-agency, with ultimate Ministerial responsibility under the Department of State.

In April 1975 the Canberra Fire Brigade was returned to the Department of the Capital Territory to be directly administered by a sub-section of the City Manager's Office.

In April 1975 the Canberra Fire Brigade became the ACT Fire Brigade, with control of fire services in the ACT being removed from the NSW Fire Brigade. The position of Commissioner was created; the Commissioner is responsible for the control and management of the ACT Fire Brigade and exercises the powers and functions of Chief Officer of the Brigade.

ACT Heath Services Branch was established within the Department of Health to administer ACT Health Services. The first Director appointed in October 1966 was (Dr.) William Frederick Hamilton Crick, whose provisional appointment was confirmed in November 1966 Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No. 95 of 3 November 1966 p. 5534.
In January 1968 he was succeed by Dr Alex Johnson who was however forced to retire through ill-health on 21 November 1969. His successor was Dr R.H.C. Wells who held that post until the Branch was replaced by the Capital Territory Health Commission on 1 July 1975. Apart from Hospital Services which were administered by the Canberra Hospitals Management Board, ACT Health Services Branch administered Government Health Services in the ACT, as follows:
Planning and development of Government controlled hospitals
Planning and development of Government nursing homes
Community mentalhealth facilities
Integration of hospital services
Laundry, sterile equipment service, pharmaceutical supplies, pathology etc.
School Medical Service
Infant and child Health Services
Immunisation
School Dental Service
Psychiatric service and facilities based on the community
health concept
Child Guidance Clinic
Chest Clinic
District Nursing Service
Ambulance Service
Public Health Service
Health inspection work
Food, meat and milk controls
Quarantine
Veterinary Service
Notifiable diseases
Professional registration boards
Laboratory services
Commonealth Health Laboratory
Public Health Laboratory
Veterinary Laboratory
Hospital pathology laboratories
Commonwealth Accoustric Laboratory
Commonwealth Medical Officers
Geriatric services
Regabilitation
Disease prevention
Health education
Pharmaceutical services
Inspections
Issuing of authorities under the National Health Act
Poisons Information Centre
National Fitness
Legislation for the control of new hospitals
Relevant ordinances on ACT health matters
Co-ordination of hospital services
Re-organisation of specialist and general practitioner
services in respect of work in Government hospitals
Planning of health and hospital services
(Source - ACT Health Services Office)

The Australian Capital Territory House of Assembly was established by ACT Ordinance No.9 of 1979, under the Seat of Government
(Administration) Act 1910. Sections 1,2,3,5,14 and 15 of the Ordinance came into force on 23 April 1979, the date of notification of the Ordinance in the Commonwealth Gazette (No. S71 of 23 April 1979). The remaining provisions came into operation on 2 June 1979, the date of the first election of members to the House.

The House of Assembly replaced the ACT Legislative Assembly (CA 2027), but no changes were made to the "composition, size of membership or fundamental role" of the Legislative Assembly (Minister for the Capital Territory Press Release, 2 March 1979). The change was essentially one of title only.

The function of the House of Assembly is to "advise the Minister on any matter affecting the Territory, including the making of new ordinances or the repeal or amendment of existing ordinances". (Canberra Times, 3 March 1979, p. 1 ) It has no legal function to make or enact laws. The Minister of State for the Capital Territory may submit to the House for consideration any proposals for the making, amendment or repeal of any ordinance, but there is no legal
requirement for this to be done. The House is bound by Section 52 of the Australian Constitution:

"This Parliament shall, subject to this constitution, have exclusive power to make laws for the peace, order and good Government of the Commonwealth with regard to :-

1) The Seat of Government of the Commonwealth and all places required by the Government for public purpose."

The House has 18 members: 9 from the Division of Fraser and 9 from the Division of Canberra. Members are elected for 3 year terms, using the Australian Senate electoral system. The President of the House, elected by the members , has a casting vote; and questions are resolved in the negative if a vote is tied. Ten members are required for a quorum (ACT Ordinance No. 24 of 1973). Debates are conducted to Parliamentary standards and ACT Ordinance No. 36 of 1974 allows the House to make its own rules and procedure.

The House of Assembly derived from a referendum on self-government for the ACT, held on 25 November 1978 after sustained agitation for constitutional change. The referendum was confined to Capital electors and excluded the Jervis Bay Territory as it
"occupied a special place in the range of the Government's responsibilities and the Government did not consider it appropriate that it should be subject to any self-government arrangements which might be made for the ACT."
(Minister for the Capital Territory Press Release 20 October 1978)
The referendum allowed preferential voting for 2 self-government options and one for no change. The first self-government proposal offered the ACT rights similar to those of the States, except for Health, Education and some functions of the Attorney-General - which would be given after 5 years. The financial basis of this option was not made clear. The second option was for a form of municipal or local government. The third option for retaining the status quo, was strongly supported (63.5%), resulting in the only major change to the Assembly's title.

The first election for the House of Assembly were held on 2 June 1979 and the results were published in Commonwealth Gazette No. S113 of 23 June 1979. The candidates elected to represent the Division of Fraser were:
Peter Vallee
Gregory Gane Cornwell
Harold James Hird
Marcus Laurence Robinson
John Michael Clements
Peter Robertson Christie
Donald Anthony Webb
Ivor Francis Vivian
Thomas Wilbur Washington Pye

The Candidates elected to represent the Division of Canberra were:
Kenneth Robert Doyle
James Willoughby Leedman
Maurene Horder
Elizabeth Grant
Robyn Lyn Walmsley
Paul Russell Whalan
Beverly Mary Evelyn Cains
Gordon John Walsh
James Harold Pead

The first meeting of the House of Assembly was held on 29 June 1979, when Peter Vallee was elected President.

The Land Administration Branch was located in a number of divisions within the Department of the Interior. In May 1972 there was a major re-organisation within the Department, which resulted in the policy function of the Branch being diverted to a newly created Land Policy Branch. Both Branches also moved to the control of the newly created ACT Lands and Transport Policy Division, which has been retained within the structure of the Department of the Capital Territory, the principal successor to the Department of the Interior (II). Functions of the Branch include:
analysis, transfer and processes; National Memorials Committee; administration of various leasing systems; representations from lessees; change of purpose of leasing; Commonwealth fencing; land sales; lease grants to clubs; lease of Commonwealth owned premises, sub-divisions etc.

The Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly was established by the Australian Capital Territory Ordinance No 24 of 1974 under the Seat of Government Act 1910-1973. Sections 1, 2, 14 and 15 of the Ordinance came into operation on 17 July 1974 this being the date of notification of the Ordinance in the Gazette, and the remaining Sections including that which established the Assembly, came into operation on 1 October 1974 (Australian Government Gazette No. 28 of 24 September 1974). The Legislative Assembly replaced the Australian Capital Territory Advisory Council (CA 491).

The Legislative Assembly consists of nine members from each of the two Australian Capital Territory electorates - ie Canberra and Fraser. Election of candidates was held on 28 September 1974 and the results announced on 11 October 1974 (Australian Government Gazette No 83B of 11 October 1974). The candidates elected to represent the Division of Canberra were:

James Willoughby Leedman
Roslyn Joan Kelly
Ian Howard Black
Peter Dalton Hughes
James Harold Pead
Gordon John Walsh
Timothy Randall McGhie
Raymond Francis Sanders
Maureen Gertrude Theresa Worsley

The candidates elected to represent the Division of Fraser were:
Trevor Thomas Kaine
Susan Maree Ryan
Alan Duncan Fraser
Gregory Caine Cornwell
Ronald Peter Vallee
Warren Wilson Lennon
Ivor Francis Vivian
Harold James Hird
Frederick James McCauley

The first meeting of the Legislative Assembly was on 28 October 1974. The representatives are elected to hold office for a period of three years. Collation of valid votes is based on the Australian Senate electoral system of optional preferential-proportional representation. The Chairman of the Assembly has a casting vote, and as for the Australian Senate, a question is resolved in the negative if the vote is tied. Quorum requirements for the Assembly to be constituted, are 10 members of the 18 members to be present when sitting.

An amendment to the ACT Legislative Assembly Ordinance, (Cited in Ordinance 24 of 1974: The Legislative Assembly Ordinance 1936-1974) on 25 September 1974, allowed the Assembly to make its own rules on procedure, as no such authority existed. This was required as debates to Parliamentary standard were to be conducted, unlike the previous representative body the ACT Advisory Council. (CA 491).

The structure of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly is designed for formulation of its power through the evaluation process. The Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly has no legal function to make or enact laws. Its role under Sections 10 and 14 of the Legislative Assembly Ordinance 1936-1974 is to advise the Minister of State for the Capital Territory in matters relating to the ACT. The Minister of State for the Capital Territory has the right to submit to the Assembly for consideration any proposals for the making, amendment or repeal of any Ordinance. There is no legal requirement for this to be done.

The Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly has also to reflect on Section 52 of the Constitution of Australia.

"This Parliament shall, subject to this constitution, have exclusive power to make laws for the peace, order and good government of the Commonwealth with regard to:-
(1) The Seat of Government of the Commonwealth and all places acquired by the Government for public purposes."

The functions and powers to be delegated to the ACT Legislative Assembly have been reviewed by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the Australian Capital Territory which was established on 25 November 1969.

On 25 November 1978, a referendum of electors resident in Canberra was held on the subject of self-government for the Australian Capital Territory, excluding Jervis Bay since it "occupied a special place in the range of the Government's responsibilities and the Government did not consider it appropriate that it should be subject to any self- government arrangements which might be made for ACT". (Press Statement, 20/10/78 by the Minister for the Capital Territory, Mr R. Ellicott).
The referendum gave opportunity for preferential voting for two self- government options and one option for no change. One self-government proposal was for the ACT to have similar rights to a State (except for Health and Education and some Attorney-General's functions, to be given to the Territory after 5 years). The other was to give the ACT a body that would, broadly speaking, do only those things that local councils do elsewhere in Australia. In the event, it was decided at the referendum that administration of the ACT should remain unchanged. The House of Assembly Ordinance 1979 which changed the name of the Legislative Assembly to House of Assembly was notified in the Gazette on 23 April 1979. (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No. S71, 23 April 1979). The first election of members to the House of Assembly was held on 2 June 1979.

The branch was formed in 1951, principally from the Property and Survey Branch (CA 738) the Department of the Interior [II] (CA 31). The Branch had certain town planning functions which were transferred from the Director of Works, A.C.T. (CA 743). Surveys - land, Engineering, Topographical together with responsibility for Parks and Gardens.
In 1957, the role of planning and development of the National Capital was transferred to the National Capital Development Commission (CA 257). The residue of the Branch became the Lands and Survey Branch [II] (CA 862).