Department of Tourism and Recreation

{{Short description|Australian government department, 1972–1975}}

{{Infobox government agency

|agency_name = Department of Tourism and Recreation

|logo =

|logo_width = 200 px

|logo_caption =

|formed = 19 December 1972{{citation|title=CA 1491: Department of Tourism and Recreation, Central Office| url=https://RecordSearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?Number=CA+1491 |publisher=National Archives of Australia|accessdate=9 Feb 2021}}

|preceding1 = Department of Health (I) – for national fitness councils

Department of Trade and Industry

|dissolved = 22 December 1975

|superseding = Department of Environment, Housing and Community Development – for recreation

Department of Industry and Commerce (I) – for tourism

|type = Department

|jurisdiction = Commonwealth of Australia

|employees =

|budget =

|minister1_name = Frank Stewart

|minister1_pfo = Minister (1972–1975)

|minister2_name = Reg Withers

|minister2_pfo = Minister (1975)

| chief1_name = Doug McKay

| chief1_position = Acting Secretary (1972–1973)

| chief2_name = Lloyd Bott

| chief2_position = Secretary (1973–1975)

| headquarters = Canberra

}}

The Department of Tourism and Recreation was an Australian government department that existed between December 1972 and December 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.{{citation|url=http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/whitlam/in-office.aspx|publisher=National Archives of Australia|title=Gough Whitlam: In Office|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130419124214/http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/primeministers/whitlam/in-office.aspx|archive-date=19 April 2013|author=National Archives of Australia}}

Up until the Department of Tourism and Recreation was established, the prevailing view was that the Commonwealth Government generally had no role to play in relation to sport and recreation, which were instead matters for state and local governments.{{sfn|Standing Committee on Recreation and Sport|1997|p=1}}

Shortly after the Fraser government took office in November 1975, following the 1975 Australian constitutional crisis, the Department was abolished,{{cite news|first=Bruce|last=Juddery|author-link=Bruce Juddery|title=Bureaucratic Convulsion: Eight departments go|newspaper=The Canberra Times|date=19 December 1975|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article102192827|url-status=live|archive-date=20 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140320082828/http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/102192827|page=1}} with its functions taken up by other departments.

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.

At its creation, the Department dealt with:{{citation|url=http://www.naa.gov.au/Images/AAO_1972_12_Dec_tcm16-45115.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130426220707/http://www.naa.gov.au/Images/AAO_1972_12_Dec_tcm16-45115.pdf|archive-date=26 April 2013|title=Administrative Arrangements Order of 19 December 1972|date=19 December 1972|publisher=National Archives of Australia}}

Promotion of tourism in Australia and between other countries and Australia
Regulation of the tourist industry
Recreation, sport and physical culture

Structure

The Department was an Australian Public Service department, staffed by officials who were responsible to the Minister for Tourism and Recreation.

Notes

References

{{citation|url=http://www.aph.gov.au/parliamentary_business/committees/house_of_representatives_committees?url=environ/sportinq/sportrpt/index.htm|title=Rethinking the funding of community sporting and recreational facilities: A sporting chance|date=October 1997|location=Canberra|author=Standing Committee on Recreation and Sport}}

Tourism and Recreation

Australia, Tourism and Recreation