Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs (1975–1987)

{{Short description|Australian government department, 1975–1987}}

{{Infobox government agency

| agency_name = Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs

| logo =

| logo_width = 200 px

| logo_caption =

| formed = 22 December 1975{{citation|title=CA 1955: Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs [I], Central Office|url=http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/SearchOld.asp?Number=CA+1955|publisher=National Archives of Australia|accessdate=15 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080905020301/http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/AgencyDetail.asp?M=0&B=CA_1955|archive-date=2008-09-05}}

| preceding1 = Department of Labor and Immigration

| dissolved = 24 July 1987

| superseding = Department of Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs

| type = Department

| jurisdiction = Commonwealth of Australia

| employees =

| budget =

| minister1_name =

| minister1_pfo =

| minister2_name =

| minister2_pfo =

| minister3_name =

| minister3_pfo =

| chief1_name = Lloyd Bott

| chief1_position = Secretary (1975–1977)

| chief2_name = Lou Engledow

| chief2_position = Secretary (1977–1980)

| chief3_name = John Menadue

| chief3_position = Secretary (1980–1983)

| chief4_name = Bill McKinnon

| chief4_position = Secretary (1983–1987)

| chief5_name = Ron Brown

| chief5_position = Secretary (1987){{cite press release|url=http://pmtranscripts.dpmc.gov.au/browse.php?did=7177|date=21 May 1987|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140327000539/http://pmtranscripts.dpmc.gov.au/browse.php?did=7177|archivedate=27 March 2014|first=Robert|last=Hawke|author-link=Bob Hawke|title=Untitled|quote=Mr Ron Brown has today been appointed Secretary, Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs}}

| headquarters = Canberra

}}

The Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs was an Australian government department that existed between December 1975 and July 1987.

History

The department was announced in December 1975, resulting from the abolition of the previous Department of Labor and Immigration.{{cite press release|first=Malcolm|last=Fraser|author-link=Malcolm Fraser|title=MAJOR CHANGES IN MINISTERIAL AND DEPARTMENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND FUNCTIONS|date=18 December 1975|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140111020520/http://pmtranscripts.dpmc.gov.au/browse.php?did=4008|archivedate=11 January 2014|url-status=dead|url=http://pmtranscripts.dpmc.gov.au/browse.php?did=4008|access-date=11 January 2014}} The creation of the department was an election commitment that Malcolm Fraser said indicated the importance placed by the Fraser government on Australia's immigration program and the Coalition's concern that issues affecting migrants and their families should receive close and sympathetic attention.

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.

According to the Administrative Arrangements Order made on 22 December 1975 (reproduced by the National Archives), the department dealt with:

Migration
Naturalization and aliens

Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs

The department was an Australian Public Service department, staffed by officials who were responsible to the Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs.

During the department's existence, the following people were appointed as Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs.{{Cite web |url=https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/DetailsReports/AgencyDetail.aspx?reg_no=CA%201955&singleRecord=T |title=Agency details for: CA 1955 |access-date=2024-07-20 |website=National Archives of Australia}}

class=wikitable

! Minister

! colspan=2 | Party

! Prime Minister

! Term

Michael MacKellar

| rowspan=4 {{Australian party style|liberal}}|

| rowspan=4 | Liberal

| rowspan=4 | Malcolm Fraser

| style="text-align: center;" | 20 December 1975
–
8 December 1979

Ian Macphee

| style="text-align: center;" | 08 Dec 1979
–
07 May 1982