Department of the Special Minister of State (1972–1975)

The Department of the Special Minister of State was an Australian government department that existed between December 1972 and December 1975.

Department of the Special Minister of State

Department overview
Formed	19 December 1972
Preceding Department	Department of the Environment, Aborigines and the Arts – for electoral activities, overseas visits, government gazette
Dissolved	22 December 1975
Superseding agency	Department of Health (I) – for health services on Christmas and Cocos Islands Department of Business and Consumer Affairs – for industries assistance and prices justification Department of Administrative Services (II) Department of Education (I) – for education on Christmas and Cocos Islands
Jurisdiction	Commonwealth of Australia
Ministers responsible	Don Willesee, Minister (1972–1973) Lionel Bowen, Minister (1973–1975) Doug McClelland, Minister (1975) Reg Withers, Minister (1975)
Department executives	John Bunting, Acting Secretary (1972–1973) Peter Lawler, Secretary (1973–1975)

History

The Department was one of several new Departments established by the Whitlam government, a wide restructuring that revealed some of the new government's program.

Scope

Information about the department's functions and government funding allocation could be found in the Administrative Arrangements Orders, the annual Portfolio Budget Statements and in the Department's annual reports.

The functions of the Department at its creation were:

• National Archives
• National Library
• Royal Charters
• War Graves
• Grants to National organisations
• World Expositions
• Commonwealth Gazette and Commonwealth Directory

Structure

The Department was a Commonwealth Public Service department, staffed by officials who were responsible to the Special Minister of State.