Department of Repatriation and Compensation
{{Short description|Australian government department, 1974–1975}}
{{Use Australian English|date=January 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2014}}
{{Infobox Government agency
|agency_name = Department of Repatriation and Compensation
|logo =
|logo_width = 200 px
|logo_caption =
|seal =
|seal_width =
|seal_caption =
|preceding1 = Repatriation Department (I)
|superseding = Department of Repatriation
|type = Department
|jurisdiction = Commonwealth of Australia
|employees =
|budget =
|minister1_name = John Wheeldon
|minister1_pfo = Minister (1974–1975)
|minister2_name = Don Chipp
|minister2_pfo = Minister (1975)
| chief1_name = Richard Kingsland
| chief1_position = Secretary
}}
The Department of Repatriation and Compensation was an Australian government department that existed between June 1974 and December 1975.
History
The department was created by the Whitlam government in 1974, expanding on the narrower Repatriation Department, with the intention that the new department would perform a wider total function of compensation to deserving groups in the community.{{cite press release|first=Gough|last=Whitlam|author-link=Gough Whitlam|date=11 June 1974|title=New Ministry|url=http://pmtranscripts.dpmc.gov.au/browse.php?did=3293|archivedate=11 January 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140111025518/http://pmtranscripts.dpmc.gov.au/browse.php?did=3293}}{{cite news|url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/110782932|title=Labor Ministry announced|date=12 June 1974|first=David|last=Solomon|newspaper=The Canberra Times|page=1}} The new compensation function included Commonwealth employees compensation, seamen's compensation, natural disasters, air accidents, the Housing Loans Insurance Corporation and Defence Service Homes Loans Insurance and the proposed Australian Government Insurance Office.
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 report.
The functions of the Department at its creation were:
- Repatriation and other benefits for members of the Defence Force and their dependants
- National compensation
- Natural disaster compensation
- Government insurance
Structure
The Department was a Commonwealth Public Service department, staffed by officials who were responsible to the Minister for Repatriation and Compensation.