f ! t PARLIAMENT OF AUSTRALIA
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER-DESIGNATE, MBOB HAWKE, M. P.
Departmental Changes
In considering the appropriate departmental structure, I have
borne in mind the need to ensure that:
the priorities of the Labor Government can be given effect'
to readily;
S changes from the existing structure are kept to the
minimum necessary, so that the public service is not
distracted from the important tasks facing it; and
problem areas in the existing arrangements are remedied.
The new departments to be created are:-
S Housing and Construction
S. Special Minister of State
Sport, -Recreation and Tourism.
The following departments will be renamed in view of significant
changes of functions:-
Education and Youth Affairs ( previously Education)
Resources and Energy ( previously National Development
and Energy)
STerritories and Local Government ( previously Capital Territory)
STrade ( previously Trade and Resources)
Transport -( previously Transport and Construction)
The functions of several other departments are also to be altered
in varying degree. The Department of the Vice-President of the
Executive Council will be abolished. / 2
T V o 77
Economic Policy
The Taxation Office will be moved from the Treasurer's
portfolio to the Minister for Finance, MrDawkins.
This will enable the Treasurer, Mr Keating'. ? to concentrate
more closely on overall economic management.
The Treasurer will be responsible for the proposed
price surveillance machinery, and also for the Grants
Commission. Co-ordination of the prices and incomes policy will be
the responsibility of the Minister for Employment and
Industrial Relations ( Mr Willis) With these added
resonibliie isen. ed appropriate to move Youth
Affairs from Employment and Industrial Relations to
Education, to ensure that proper attention can be devoted
to policies affecting our youth.
Industries
The Minister for Industry and Commerce, Senator: Button,
will assume responsibility for the Industries Assistance
Commission and the Australian Industries Development
Co~ rporation thus providing a single portfolio with the
key industry responsibilities. Regional development
will also go to Industry and Commerce.
The Department of Housing and Construction, which was,
abolished by the Fraser Government, will be reconstituted
to provide a focus for policies affecting the housing
and building industries, and housing assistance program.
Responsibility for the important tourist industry will be
a major focus of the new Department of Sport, Recreation
and Tourism. ./ 3
Resources an~ d Energy
The current split of respon sibi li ties for minerals and
resources policies between National Development and
Energy and Trade and Resources is not sensible; it
causes needless confusion and distraction from getting
on with assisting the development of these important
industries. All responsibilities for domestic resources
and energy matters will be consolidated . in a Departmentof
Resources and Energy. The Department of Trade will,
of course, retain responsibility for assisting the private
sector in the development of overseas markets for
our mineral resources as it does for other commodities.
Other Importwcant Changes
The new portfolio of Special Minister of State, under
Mr Young, who will also be Vice-President of the Executive
Council and Leader of the House, will take over electoral
matters and police and protective services and certain other
policy functions from the Department of Administrative
Services, which will be a more clearly focuss'ed ' common
service' department. This change will also enable a greater
concentration on important law enforcement responsibilities.
The new Department of Sport, Recreation and Tourism takes
over responsibility for assistance to sport from Home
Affairs and Environment which, with the addition of
responsibilities for consumer affairs to its arts and
environment functions, can concentrate more closely on
these important areas.
As announced before the election, I will take responsibility
for the Office of the Status of Women, assisted by Senator Ryan.
/ 4
I I
Although the Government will continue the Department of Defence
Support, we have decided the defence science laboratories would
be better located in Defence itself.
The Government has decided that the Territories and important
local government responsibilities of the Commonwealth should
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 a department
solely with Capital Territory responsibilities no longer
seems warranted.
Heads of Departments
Because of the processes required by legi-s-la-tion for the
appointment of Heads of Departments-, legislation which the
incoming Government will be reviewing, it is not possible
to make final appointments of Heads of the new Departments
tomorrow: nor to make any other consequent changes that the
Government might have in mind. Acting Secretaries will therefore
be appointed to the new Departments. The Chairman of the Public
Service Board will be asked to report to me on appointments in
accordance with the terms of the legislation and I expect that the
complete list of appointments of Heads of Departments will be
cleared in Cabinet next week. The Acting Secretaries of the new
Departments, in addition to the appointments they currently
hold, will he
Housing and Construction Mr. R. M. Taylor
Special Minister of State Sir Peter Lawler, OBE
Sport, Recreation and Tourism Dr D. F. McMichael, CBE.
Canberra March 1983
9 Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Trade
and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister
for Cormonwealth-State Relations
Leader of the Government in the Senate,
Minister for Industry and Commerce and
Minister Assisting the Minister for
Communications
P Deputy Leader of the Government in the
Senate and Minister for. Social Security
Minister for Employment and Industrial
Relations and Minister Assisting the
Prime Minister for Public Service Matters
Treasurer Special Minister of State, Vice-President
of the Executive Council and Leader of the
House Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs
Minister for Resources and Energy
Minister for Foreign Affairs
Minister for Education and Youth Affairs
and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister
for Women's Affairs
Attorney-General
Minister for Defence
Minister for Transport
Minister for Primary Industry
. Minister for Aviation and Minister Assisting
the Minister for Defence
Minister for Housing and Construction and
Minister Assisting the Minister for
Industry and Commerce
Minister for Sport, Recreation and Tourism
and Minister for Administrative Services
Minister for Finance
Minister for Health
Minister for Science and Technology
Minister for Communications
Minister for Home Affairs and Environment
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs
Minister for Veterans' Affairs
Minister for Territories and Local Government
and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for
Community Development and Regional Affairs
Minister for Defence Support R. J. L. Hawke, AC, NP
The Hon. L. F. Bowen, MI
Senator J. N. Button
Senator D. J. Grimes
R. Willis, MP
The Hon. P. J. Keating,
M. J. Young, AMP
S. J. West, NP
Senator P. A. Walsh
The Hon. W. G. Hayden, P
Senator S. M. Ryan
Senator G. J. Evans
G. D. D. Scholes, MP
P. F. Morris, MP
J. C. Kerin, MP
K. C. Beazley, MP
C. J. Hurford, MP
J. J. Brown, NP
J. S. Dawkins, MP
N. Blewett, MP
B. O. Jones, MP
M. J. Duffy, MP
B. Cohen, MP
A. C. Holding, MP
Senator A. T. Gietzelt
The Hon. T. Uren, MP*
B. L. Howe, MP
PcbLln' Ji: Qo H1aur wke' I'l, tou h' 2 Prin*: o tef. j
to ~: uIii t er thc-1 Fepji r t :: c~ tOf the1 P r i2 o. ni S t'o ro
CLIbinet.
The2 11onourable Lionel Fro,); t B~ owen, ~ P to be i ter f or
Trado and to acumnistor the DcpartU , eyi of Trade.
S( nator John INorman l~ thtcn to be MinistejOf
Comr-ercc and to admidnislttar the Dt-partxient cil:. Industry! and
Senator Donald Jamesrimes to be Minister for Social
Security and to adminisfer the. DePartment of Sca euiy
Ralph Willis, MP, to be Minister for Employment and Industrial
Relations and to administer the Departmient of Employment arid
Industrial Relations.
The Honourable Paul John Neatirig, VMP, to be Treasurer and
to ad-minister the Department of the Treasury..
michael Jerome Young, MP,-to be-Special Minister of State
and to adzcinister the Department of the * Special Minister
of State.
Stewart John Wes, DN, to be Minister _ f6o ingrto and
Ethnic A'ffairs and to administer the Department of. Irnigration
and Ethnic Affairs.
Senator Peter Alexander WalIsh to be Minister for Resources
and Energy and to administer the Depart-ment of Resources and,
Energy-Toho rbeWlia--n George Hayden, MP, to be-..!. inister for
Foregn Afairs an-oamnse he Department of Foreign
Senator Susan Marep Ryan to be MAinister for Education ane
Youth Affairs and ' to. administer the Department of Education
and. You th Af fairs.
Senator Gareth John Evans to be Attorney-General and to
administer the Attorne-General's Department.
Gordon Glen Denton Scholes, MP,. to be !, in-; ster-. for D--ferncC
and to acdminister the Depart-ment of Defenceñ.
Peter Frederi; ck tMo-rris, IMP, to be Xiristcr fo--r Tranc. r'crL an-.
to administer the DeparL-ment of Tranzncrt. W
, johl. n Charles Kcrin, ittto temin ; st'J'rr ' ram
and to admin-ister the DcLarjtment of ~ ri. r nuty
Kim. Chris-i an Peaz icy, ~ 1, to'he tr~; Va~ 2 i,
to ad!-_ Ii. 1ar the Donartzs ,-nt of A:
Chri~~~ to;~~ her # PI2, nIxiftro i-e Mini sLer for ! u v:;
ir2: r. vL J nd to. t:: uL ; I
oohn JcN -c; in to be 1 i ' tel c t 1~ cri
* St CL: T. t C ' I) Cpa of 1. cCr ' 0 t. T U I 7~~ 2
aind t. hl Pc.-I-rtiment 0C1 . u! uami St-xi C ~ 1J
John Svtdney Yi ns, i to be rla n r; tccrI c1ICc r nd o
adc-mnistc r the DcpLi.-rt-. Ient of IFinayco.
Ncal E. evtt cl to be Minist r fcr a r tt o0 1,
the Departnment of icalth.
Barry Owen Jones, MP, to be Minister for Science and
Technologyand to administer the Department of Science
and Technology.
Michael John Duffy, MP, to be Minister for Cornunications and
to administer the Department of Coimnunications.
Barry Cohen, MP, to be Minister for Home Affairs and
Environment and to administer the Deoartment of Home Affairs
and Envirornment.
Alan Clyde Holding, MP, to be Ministe-r for-Aboriainal
Affairs and to administer the Department of Aboricinal
Affairs. Senator Arthur Thomas Gietzelt to be-Minister for Veterans'
Affairs and to administer the Department of Veterans' Affairs.
The Honourable Thomas Uren, MP, to be Minister for
Territories and Local Government and to administer the
Department of Territories and Local Government.
Brian Leslie Howe, MP, to be Minister for Defence S-ztrort
and to administer the Department of Defence Support.