Department of Reconciliation and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs explained

Agency Name:	Department of Reconciliation and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs
Formed:	30 January 2001
Preceding1:	Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet – the Office of Indigenous Policy
Dissolved:	26 November 2001
Superseding:	Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs
Type:	Department
Jurisdiction:	Commonwealth of Australia
Minister1 Name:	Philip Ruddock
Minister1 Pfo:	Minister
Minister2 Name:	Chris Gallus
Minister2 Pfo:	Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister
Chief1 Name:	Bill Farmer
Chief1 Position:	Secretary^[1]
Chief2 Name:	Peter Vaughan
Chief2 Position:	Executive Coordinator
Headquarters:	Barton, Canberra

The Department of Reconciliation and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs was an Australian government department that existed between January and November 2001, concerned with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the government policy of reconciliation in Australia.

History

When it was established in January 2001, the department incorporated many of the functions of the former Office of Indigenous Policy in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. The department was short-lived, when it was abolished in November 2001 its functions were amalgamated into the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs as the Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs.

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 report.

The department was responsible for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affairs including the government policy of reconciliation in Australia. Functions of the Department included:

Developing and evaluating policy affecting Indigenous Australians
Providing services and programs to Indigenous peoples
Liaising with Indigenous leaders and providing advice to the Minister on Indigenous issues
Providing advice on Indigenous reconciliation
Providing advice on the social and economic position of Indigenous peoples
Providing advice on land and resource matters
Providing advice on litigation involving the Commonwealth
Providing advice on international Indigenous matters

Structure

The Department was an Australian Public Service department, staffed by officials who were responsible to the Minister for Reconciliation and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs.

Notes and References

Web site: Annual Report 2000–01. https://web.archive.org/web/20021215035955/http://www.immi.gov.au/oatsia/publications/annrep01/files/overview.htm. 15 December 2002. dead. Australian Government. Department of Reconciliation and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs.