Department of Agriculture (Australia, 1974–75) explained

Agency Name:Department of Agriculture
Formed:12 June 1974
Preceding1:Department of Primary Industry (I)
Dissolved:22 December 1975
Superseding:Department of Primary Industry (II)
Type:Department
Jurisdiction:Commonwealth of Australia
Minister1 Name:Ken Wriedt
Minister1 Pfo:Minister (1974–1975)
Minister2 Name:Rex Patterson
Minister2 Pfo:Minister (1975)
Minister3 Name:Ian Sinclair
Minister3 Pfo:Minister (1975)
Chief1 Name:Walter Ives
Chief1 Position:Secretary
Headquarters:Barton, Canberra

The Department of Agriculture was an Australian government department that existed between June 1974 and December 1975.

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.

The matters dealt with by the department were:

When the department was formed in 1974, media reported that it was "just a change in name" from the previous Department of Primary Industry. This was in fact the case; the department's name was changed at the specific request for Senator Wriedt when he became Minister of the Department—intended to recognise practice overseas and in most of Australia's states.[1]

Structure

The department was an Australian Public Service department, staffed by officials who were responsible to the Minister for Agriculture.

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. E. Gough. Whitlam. Gough Whitlam. New Ministry. 11 June 1974. https://web.archive.org/web/20140111025518/http://pmtranscripts.dpmc.gov.au/browse.php?did=3293. 11 January 2014.