Department of National Development (Australia) explained

Agency Name:Department of National Development
Formed:16 March 1950
Preceding1:Department of Supply and Development
Dissolved:19 December 1972
Type:Department
Jurisdiction:Commonwealth of Australia
Chief1 Name:Robert Jackson
Chief1 Position:Secretary (1950–1951)[1]
Chief2 Name:Jack Stevens
Chief2 Position:Secretary (1950–1951)
Chief3 Name:Harold Raggatt
Chief3 Position:Secretary (1951–1965)
Chief4 Name:Bill Boswell
Chief4 Position:Secretary (1965–1969)
Chief5 Name:Lloyd Bott
Chief5 Position:Secretary (1969–1972)
Formed:20 December 1977
Preceding1:Department of National Resources – for energy planning, research, minerals exploration and resource assessment, water resources and electricity, geodesy and mapping
Department of Environment, Housing and Community Development – for decentralisation
Dissolved:8 December 1979
Superseding:Department of National Development and Energy
Type:Department
Jurisdiction:Commonwealth of Australia
Minister1 Name:Kevin Newman
Minister1 Pfo:Minister for National Development
Chief1 Name:Alan Woods
Chief1 Position:Secretary
Headquarters:Australian Capital Territory

The Department of National Development was an Australian government department that existed between March 1950 and December 1972, and between December 1977 and December 1979.

History

The Department of National Development was established in March 1950, with Richard Casey, Baron Casey as its Minister. Media reported that the new Department would plan for the supply of basic commodities, promote decentralisation and regional development and plan for the development of primary and manufacturing industries and the stimulation of housing construction.[2]

By 1969, the Department consisted of five divisions: the resources policy division; the northern development division; the Bureau of Mineral Resources; the Forestry and Timber Bureau; and the division of national mapping.[3]

The Department was one of six abolished by the Whitlam government in December 1972.[4] It functions were split between four new departments, namely the Department of Environment and Conservation, the Department of Minerals and Energy and the Department of Northern Development, as well as two established departments—the Department of Works and the Department of Primary Industry.

The department was created for the second time on 20 December 1977, by the Fraser government, before it was abolished two years later in 8 December 1979.

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 first creation, the Department was responsible for the following:

At its second creation in 1979, the Department was responsible for the following:

Structure

The Department was a Commonwealth Public Service department, staffed by officials who were responsible to the Minister for National Development. In order of appointment, the Department's Ministers were: Richard Casey, Bill Spooner, David Fairbairn, Reginald Swartz and Lance Barnard, and Kevin Newman between 1977 and 1979. The Secretary of the Department was A.J. Woods.

List of national development ministers

OrderMinisterPartyPrime MinisterTitleTerm startTerm endTerm in office
1John DedmanLaborCurtinMinister for Postwar Reconstructionalign=center 2 February 1945align=center 6 July 1945
Fordealign=center 6 July 1945align=center 13 July 1945
Chifleyalign=center 13 July 1945align=center 19 December 1949
2Eric Harrison LiberalMenziesalign=center 19 December 1949align=center 17 March 1950align=right days
3Richard Casey Minister for National Developmentalign=center 17 March 1950align=center 11 May 1951align=right
4Bill Spooner align=center 11 May 1951align=center 10 June 1964align=right
5David Fairbairn align=center 10 June 1964align=center 21 January 1966
 Holtalign=center 26 January 1966align=center 19 December 1967
 McEwenalign=center 19 December 1967align=center 10 January 1968
 Gortonalign=center 10 January 1968align=center 12 November 1969
6Reginald Swartz align=center 12 November 1969align=center 10 March 1971
 McMahonalign=center 10 March 1971align=center 5 December 1972
align=center 7Lance BarnardLaborWhitlamalign=center 5 December 1972align=center 19 December 1972align=right days
align=center 8Rex PattersonMinister for Northern Developmentalign=center 19 December 1972align=center 11 November 1975align=right
9Kevin Newman LiberalFraserMinister for National Developmentalign=center 20 December 1977align=center 8 December 1979align=right
10John Carrick Minister for National Development and Energyalign=center 8 December 1979align=center 11 March 1983align=right

Notes and References

  1. Mitcham, Chad J.Sir Robert Gillman Jackson (1911-1991).
  2. News: National Development: New Department gazette. 21 March 1950. Kalgoorlie Miner. WA. 5.
  3. News: Sitting on a gold mine: Bruce Juddery looks at what could become of the Department of National Development. The Canberra Times. ACT. 19 November 1969. 2. Bruce. Juddery. Bruce Juddery.
  4. News: Portfolios announced. 1. The Canberra Times. ACT. 19 December 1972.

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