Department of Home Affairs and Environment explained

Agency Name:	Department of Home Affairs and Environment
Formed:	3 November 1980
Preceding1:	Department of Administrative Services (II) – for exhibitions and special events function Department of Science and the Environment – for environment and conservation Department of Home Affairs (III)
Dissolved:	13 December 1984
Superseding:	Department of Veterans' Affairs – for Australian War Memorial Department of Sport, Recreation and Tourism – for international expositions Department of Arts, Heritage and Environment – for environment and conservation, cultural affairs including support for the arts, national collections, protection of the national heritage and national archives
Type:	Department
Jurisdiction:	Commonwealth of Australia
Minister1 Name:	Bob Ellicott
Minister1 Pfo:	Minister (1980–1981)
Minister2 Name:	Michael MacKellar
Minister2 Pfo:	Minister (1981)
Minister3 Name:	Ian Wilson
Minister3 Pfo:	Minister (1981–1982)
Minister4 Name:	Tom McVeigh
Minister4 Pfo:	Minister (1982–1983)
Minister5 Name:	Barry Cohen
Minister5 Pfo:	Minister (1983–1984)
Chief1 Name:	Don McMichael
Chief1 Position:	Secretary (1980–1984)
Chief2 Name:	Pat Galvin
Chief2 Position:	Secretary (1984)
Headquarters:	Canberra

The Department of Home Affairs and Environment was an Australian government department that existed between November 1980 and December 1984.

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 National Archives of Australia, at its creation, the Department was responsible for:

Constitutional development of the Northern Territory of Australia
Administration of Norfolk Island, the Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands, the Territory of Christmas Island, the Coral Sea Islands Territory and the Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands
Women's affairs
Support of the arts and letters
National archives
National museums
World expositions
Leisure, including sport, physical fitness and community recreation
Environment and conservation.

Structure

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

The Department was headed by a Secretary, initially D.F. McMichael (until 1 February 1984) and then P. Galvin (acting in the role from 1 February 1984, then permanent from 27 July 1984).