Postmaster-General's Department Explained

Agency Name:Postmaster-General's Department
Formed:1 January 1901
Dissolved:22 December 1975
Superseding:Postal and Telecommunications Department
Type:Department
Jurisdiction:Commonwealth of Australia

The Postmaster-General's Department (PMG) was a department of the Australian federal government, established at Federation in 1901, whose responsibilities included the provision of postal and telegraphic services throughout Australia. It was abolished in December 1975 and replaced by the Postal and Telecommunications Department. Two separate legal entities had been established in July 1975 to take over the department's operations: Telecom Australia (colloquially "Telecom"; later became Telstra) and Australia Post.

History

The Postmaster-General's Department was created in 1901 to take over all postal and telegraphy services in Australia from the states and administer them on a national basis. The department was administered by the postmaster-general.

The first permanent secretary of the department was Sir Robert Townley Scott, who held office from 1 July 1901 until his retirement on 31 December 1910.

In its first 25 years, the department grew from 6,000 to 10,000 offices and from 18,000 to 47,000 staff.[1] Earnings grew from £2.4 million to £10 million per annum.[1]

In mid-1975 the department was disaggregated into the Australian Telecommunications Commission (trading as Telecom Australia) and the Australian Postal Commission (trading as Australia Post). In 1993 the Spectrum Management Agency was formed to take responsibility of radio and television broadcast licensing, which was then merged into the Australian Communications Authority, that later became the Australian Communications and Media Authority. Telecom Australia changed its name to Telstra in 1995 and has since been privatised.

Abolition

The department was abolished in December 1975 by the Fraser government, and replaced by the Postal and Telecommunications Department.[2] The change was intended to take account of the increase in the functions of the department to include all electronic media matters which had previously been the responsibility of the Department of the Media.[2]

List of postmasters-general

width=5 Orderwidth=80 Portraitwidth=150 Ministerwidth=150 colspan="2" Partywidth=75 Prime Ministerwidth=150 Term startwidth=150 Term endwidth=130 Term in office
1John Forrest ProtectionistBartonalign=center align=center align=right days
2James Drakealign=center align=center align=right
3Philip Fyshalign=center align=center days
Deakinalign=center align=center
4Hugh MahonLaborWatsonalign=center align=center align=right days
5Sydney SmithFree TradeReidalign=center align=center align=right days
6Austin ChapmanProtectionistDeakinalign=center align=center align=right
7Samuel Maugeralign=center align=center align=right
8Josiah ThomasLaborFisheralign=center align=center align=right days
9John QuickLiberalDeakinalign=center align=center align=right days
10Josiah ThomasLaborFisheralign=center align=center align=right
11Charlie Frazeralign=center align=center align=right
12Agar WynneLiberalCookalign=center align=center align=right
13William SpenceLaborFisheralign=center align=center align=right
14William WebsterHughesalign=center align=center
National Laboralign=center align=center
Nationalistalign=center align=center
15George Wisealign=center align=center align=right
16Alexander Poyntonalign=center align=center align=right
17William GibsonCountryBrucealign=center align=center align=right
18Joseph LyonsLaborScullinalign=center align=center align=right
19Albert Greenalign=center align=center align=right days
20James FentonUnited AustraliaLyonsalign=center align=center align=right days
21Archdale Parkhillalign=center align=center align=right
22Alexander McLachlanalign=center align=center align=right
23Archie CameronCountryalign=center align=center days
Pagealign=center align=center
24Eric HarrisonUnited AustraliaMenziesalign=center align=center align=right days
25Harold ThorbyCountryalign=center align=center align=right days
26George McLeayUnited Australiaalign=center align=center align=right days
27Thomas CollinsCountryalign=center align=center days
Faddenalign=center align=center
28Bill AshleyLaborCurtinalign=center align=center align=right
29Don Cameronalign=center align=center
Fordealign=center align=center
Chifleyalign=center align=center
30Larry AnthonyCountryMenziesalign=center align=center align=right
31Charles Davidsonalign=center align=center align=right
32Alan HulmeLiberalalign=center align=center
Holtalign=center align=center
McEwenalign=center align=center
Gortonalign=center align=center
McMahonalign=center align=center
33Lance BarnardLaborWhitlamalign=center align=center align=right days
34Lionel Bowenalign=center align=center align=right
35Reg Bishopalign=center align=center align=right
36Peter NixonNational CountryFraseralign=center align=center align=right days

List of departmental secretaries and directors-general

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Federation- 25 Years' Achievements Reviewed: Commonwealth Problems. 8. The Canberra Times. 21 October 1926.
  2. Malcolm. Fraser. Malcolm Fraser. MAJOR CHANGES IN MINISTERIAL AND DEPARTMENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND FUNCTIONS. 18 December 1975. https://web.archive.org/web/20140111020520/http://pmtranscripts.dpmc.gov.au/browse.php?did=4008. 11 January 2014. dead. dmy-all.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Postmaster-General's Department".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.