Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade explained

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is the department of the Australian federal government responsible for foreign policy and relations, international aid (using the branding Australian Aid), consular services and trade and investment (including trade and investment promotion Austrade). Australia's total official development assistance (ODA) (USD 3 billion) decreased in 2022 due to differences in Australia's financial year reporting and the timing of its COVID-19-related expenditure, representing 0.19% of gross national income (GNI).^[6]

The head of the department is its secretary, presently Jan Adams. She reports to Penny Wong, who has held the position of Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2022.

History

The department finds its origins in two of the seven original Commonwealth Departments established following Federation in 1901: the Department of Trade and Customs and the Department of External Affairs (DEA), headed by Harry Wollaston and Atlee Hunt respectively.^[7]

The first DEA was abolished on 14 November 1916 and its responsibilities were undertaken by the Prime Minister's Department and the Department of Home and Territories.^[8] It was re-established under the same name on 21 December 1921.^[9]

Until the Second World War, Australia's status as a dominion of the British Empire in the then British Commonwealth meant its foreign relations were mostly defined by the United Kingdom. During this time, Australia's overseas activities were predominantly related to trade and commercial interests, while its external affairs were concerned mostly with immigration, exploration and publicity.^[7] The political and economic changes wrought by the Great Depression and Second World War, and the adoption of the 1931 Statute of Westminster (ratified by Australia in 1942), necessitated the establishment and expansion of Australian representation overseas, independent of the United Kingdom Foreign Office. Australia began to establish its first overseas missions (outside London) in 1940, beginning with Washington, D.C., and now has a network of over 80 diplomatic (and 22 trade) posts.^[7]

The DEA was renamed the Department of Foreign Affairs in 1970. On 24 July 1987, the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Trade were amalgamated by the Hawke government to form the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

In 1994, the Australian Overseas Information Service (AOIS, formerly Australian Information Service) became a branch in DFAT known as the International Public Affairs Branch.^[10] In 1996 the branch was dissolved.^[11]

In 2005, DFAT became embroiled in the Oil-for-Food Programme scandal after it was revealed it had approved the Australian Wheat Board's (AWB) request allowing it to pay 'trucking charges' to Alia, a Jordanian trucking company with no actual involvement in the trucking of Australian wheat within Iraq. The Cole Inquiry into the AWB was established, however its terms of reference excluded any investigation of the role of DFAT.

Portfolio responsibilities

The functions of the department are broadly classified into the following matters as laid out in an Administrative Arrangements Order issued on 18 September 2013:^[12]

• External Affairs, including:
  • relations and communications with overseas governments and United Nations agencies
  • treaties, including trade agreements
  • bilateral, regional and multilateral trade policy
  • international trade and commodity negotiations
  • market development, including market access
  • trade and international business development
  • investment promotion
  • international development co-operation
  • diplomatic and consular missions
  • international security issues, including disarmament, arms control and nuclear non-proliferation
  • public diplomacy, including information and cultural programs
• International expositions
• Provision to Australian citizens of secure travel identification
• Provision of consular services to Australian citizens abroad
• Overseas property management, including acquisition, ownership and disposal of real property
• Tourism industry (international)
• International development and aid
• Development and co-ordination of international climate change policy
• International climate change negotiations

Portfolio ministers

Four additional ministers support the Minister for Foreign Affairs in administering the Department, :^[13]

• Minister for Trade and Tourism, Senator Don Farrell
• Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Pat Conroy MP
• Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs, Tim Watts MP
• Assistant Minister for Trade, Senator Tim Ayres

Secretary of the Department

DFAT is administered by a senior executive, comprising a secretary and five deputy secretaries. On the recommendation of the Prime Minister, the Governor-General has appointed the following individuals as Secretary to the department:

width=30	Order	width=150	Official	width=130	Date appointment commenced	width=130	Date appointment ceased	width=100	Term in office	Ref(s)
1					[14] [15] [16]
2					[17]
3					[18] [19]
4					[20] [21]
5
6					[22]
7					[23]
8					[24]
9					[25]
10					[26] [27] [28]
11					[29]
12			Incumbent		[30]

Structure

The Department is responsible to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, the Minister for International Development and the Pacific, and the Assistant Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment.

As at June 2023, 3,881 Australian Public Service (APS) staff worked for DFAT in Australia and 959 worked in the overseas network. Additionally, DFAT employed 2,267 locally engaged staff (LES) in the overseas network. LES are citizens of the country in which the relevant DFAT Post is located, providing invaluable administrative and policy support to Australian officers whilst they conduct their overseas duties. ^[31]

Departmental structure

The Department is structured into seven groups, each led by a Deputy Secretary at the SES Band 3 level.^[32]

• The Secretary
  • Chief of Staff to the Secretary
• Trade and Investment Group (TIG)
  • Trade and Investment Strategy Branch (TIB)
    • State and Territory Offices
  • Trade and Investment Law Division (TLD)
  • Trade Resilience, Indo-Pacific Economic, and Latin America Division (TID)
  • International Economics and Energy Transition Division (IGD)
  • Free Trade Agreements & Stakeholder Engagement Division (FSD)
  • Office of Global Trade Negotiations (OTN)
• Strategic Planning and Coordination Group (SCG)
  • Strategic Communications Division (SGD)
  • East Asia Division (EAD)
  • Geostrategy and Partnerships Division (GPD)
  • Defence and National Security Policy Division (DND)
  • National Foundation for Australia-China Relations (NFACR)
• South and Southeast Asia Group (SSG)
  • Office of Southeast Asia (OSA)
  • Southeast Asia Maritime Division (SMD)
  • Southeast Asia Regional and Mainland Division (SRD)
  • Southeast Asia Strategy and Development Division (SSD)
  • South and Central Asia Division (SXD)
  • Centre for Australia-India Relations (CAIR)
• Office of the Pacific (OTP)
  • Pacific Infrastructure & Economic Division (PED)
  • Pacific Strategy Division (PSD)
  • Melanesia Division (PMD)
  • Pacific Integration Division (PID)
  • Polynesia, Micronesia and Development Division (PDD)
  • Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP)
• Development, Multilateral and Europe Group (DMG)
  • Multilateral Policy and Human Rights Division (MPD)
  • Development Policy Division (DPD)
  • Development Effectiveness and Enabling Division (PRD)
  • Humanitarian Division (HPD)
  • Climate Diplomacy and Development Finance Division (CSD)
  • Ambassador for Global Health Global Health Division (GHD)
  • Europe Division (EUD)
• International Security, Legal and Consular Group (ISG)
  • Legal Division (LGD)
  • Regulatory and Legal Policy Division (RLD)
  • Consular and Crisis Management Division (CCD)
  • Middle East and Africa Division (MAD)
  • International Security Division (ISD)
  • Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office (ASNO)
  • Australian Passport Office (APO)
• Enabling Services Group (ESG)
  • Finance Division (FND)
  • Diplomatic Security Division (DSD)
  • Overseas Property Office (OPO)
  • Information Management and Technology Division (IMD)
  • People Division (PPD)
  • Executive Division (EXD)
    • Internal Audit Branch(AUB)

Diplomatic network

DFAT maintains offices in each state and mainland territory to provide consular and passport services, and to perform an important liaison service for business throughout Australia. In addition, it has a Torres Strait Treaty Liaison Office on Thursday Island. Additionally, the department manages a network of 116 overseas posts, including Australian embassies, high commissions and consulates-general.

Portfolio agencies

DFAT also manages several agencies within its portfolio, including:

• Australian Trade and Investment Commission

• Export Finance and Insurance Corporation

• Australian Secret Intelligence Service

• Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research

DFAT also manages foundations, councils and institutes including:^[33]

• Australia-China Council (ACC)
• Australia-India Council (AIC)
• Australia-Indonesia Institute (AII)
• Australia International Cultural Council (AICC)
• Australia-Japan Foundation (AJF)
• Australia-Korea Foundation (AKF)
• Australia-Malaysia Institute (AMI)
• Australia-Thailand Institute (ATI)
• Council for Australian-Arab Relations (CAAR)
• Council on Australia Latin America Relations (COALAR)

See also

• Australian Information Service
• Australian Volunteers for International Development
• Five Nations Passport Group
• List of Australian Government entities
• List of ambassadors and high commissioners of Australia

External links

• • National Indigenous Times article on Trent Smith who was dismissed by DFAT then re-employed after lengthy legal proceedings
• OECD Development Co-operation Profile of Australia

Notes and References

1. Web site: Our history. 17 October 2020. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
2. Web site: Martin. Lou-Ellen. 2021. Annual Report 202021. 17 March 2022. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
3. Web site: Budget highlights 202021. 17 October 2020. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
4. Web site: Portfolio ministers. 23 May 2022. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
5. Web site: Portfolio Overview. 17 October 2020. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
6. Web site: OECD . Development Co-operation Profiles 2023 - Australia . OECD Publishing, Paris . 14 September 2023.
7. Web site: History of the Department . 2007-08-08 . Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade .
8. Web site: Our History . 11 May 2020 . Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade .
9. Parliamentary Handbook of the Commonwealth of Australia, 20th ed, 1978, pp. 289-290
10. Web site: 2000 . Fact Sheet Forty Seven: Australian Overseas Information Service photographs . . 12 May 2006 . https://web.archive.org/web/20060212205033/http://www.naa.gov.au/publications/fact_sheets/FS47.html . 2006-02-12 . dead .
11. Web site: The Dictionary of Sydney. Australian News and Information Bureau. 27 December 2020.
12. Web site: Administrative Arrangements Order . 18 September 2013 . . 27 October 2013 . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131014052331/http://www.dpmc.gov.au/parliamentary/docs/aao_20130918.pdf . 14 October 2013 . dmy .
13. Web site: Ministry List as at 1 June 2022 . Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet . 4 June 2022.
14. Harris was Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs beginning on 3 September 1984 until it was renamed the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in July 1987.
15. For the media . 23 July 1987 . . . Hawke, Bob . Bob Hawke . 10 November 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131110154626/http://pmtranscripts.dpmc.gov.au/browse.php?did=7201 . 10 November 2013 . dmy .
16. For the media . 2 June 1988 . . . Hawke, Bob . Bob Hawke . 10 November 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131110145443/http://pmtranscripts.dpmc.gov.au/browse.php?did=7330 . 10 November 2013 . dmy-all .
17. For the media . 8 November 1991 . . . Hawke, Bob . Bob Hawke . 10 November 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131110154615/http://pmtranscripts.dpmc.gov.au/browse.php?did=8350 . 10 November 2013 . dead .
18. Dr Peter Wilenski AO . 14 May 1993 . . . Keating, Paul . Paul Keating . 10 November 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131110154623/http://pmtranscripts.dpmc.gov.au/browse.php?did=8862 . 10 November 2013 . dead .
19. Chad. Mitcham. Peter Stephen Wilenski (1939–1994). wilenski-peter-stephen-29978.
20. Appointment of Departmental Secretaries . 26 May 1993 . . . Keating, Paul . Paul Keating . 10 November 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131110154620/http://pmtranscripts.dpmc.gov.au/browse.php?did=8871 . 10 November 2013 . dmy-all .
21. Statement by the Prime Minister designate, The Hon John Howard MP . 8 March 1996 . . . Howard, John . John Howard . 10 November 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131110140511/http://pmtranscripts.dpmc.gov.au/browse.php?did=9953 . 10 November 2013 . dmy-all .
22. Dr Ashton Calvert AC . 2 December 2004 . . . Howard, John . John Howard . 10 November 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131110154618/http://pmtranscripts.dpmc.gov.au/browse.php?did=21524 . 10 November 2013 . dmy-all .
23. Rudd, Kevin . Kevin Rudd . Departmental secretaries and statutory office-holders, Canberra . 13 August 2009 . 10 November 2013 . . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131110095906/http://pmtranscripts.dpmc.gov.au/browse.php?did=16752 . 10 November 2013 . dmy .
24. Gillard, Julia. Julia Gillard. Diplomatic Appointment and Appointment of Secretaries of the Department of Defence and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. 17 September 2012. Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 27 October 2013. Commonwealth of Australia. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20141220082849/http://pmtranscripts.dpmc.gov.au/browse.php?did=18795. 20 December 2014. dmy-all.
25. Web site: Mr Peter N Varghese AO - Biographical details. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Commonwealth of Australia. 3 December 2012. 28 October 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131029202736/http://www.dfat.gov.au/dept/exec/varghesepeter_bio.html. 29 October 2013. dead.
26. News: Frances Adamson appointed as DFAT's first female secretary. 20 July 2016. Matthew. Doran. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. ABC News. https://web.archive.org/web/20160805062157/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-20/prime-minister-appoints-first-female-secretary/7645322. 5 August 2016.
27. News: Frances Adamson becomes Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's first female secretary. The Canberra Times. Fairfax Media. Markus. Mannheim. 20 July 2016. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20160817144128/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/national/public-service/frances-adamson-becomes-department-of-foreign-affairs-and-trades-first-female-secretary-20160720-gq9t27.html. 17 August 2016.
28. Ms Frances Adamson appointed Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Australian Government. Malcolm. Turnbull. Malcolm Turnbull. 20 July 2016. 18 August 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20170421035111/http://www.pm.gov.au/media/2016-07-20/ms-frances-adamson-appointed-secretary-department-foreign-affairs-and-trade. 21 April 2017. dead.
29. Web site: Secretary and Deputy Secretaries.
30. Web site: Announcement of Department Secretaries. Prime Minister of Australia. 22 June 2022. 30 June 2022.
31. https://www.transparency.gov.au/publications/foreign-affairs-and-trade/department-of-foreign-affairs-and-trade/department-of-foreign-affairs-and-trade-annual-report-2022-23
32. https://www.dfat.gov.au/sites/default/files/dfat-org-chart-executive.pdf
33. Web site: Foundations, councils and institutes - Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade . Dfat.gov.au . 2018-10-17.