Department of National Development (Australia)

Department of National Development

Department overview
Formed	16 March 1950
Preceding Department	Department of Supply and Development
Dissolved	19 December 1972
Jurisdiction	Commonwealth of Australia
Department executives	Robert Jackson, Secretary (1950–1951) Jack Stevens, Secretary (1950–1951) Harold Raggatt, Secretary (1951–1965) Bill Boswell, Secretary (1965–1969) Lloyd Bott, Secretary (1969–1972)

Department overview
Formed	20 December 1977
Preceding Department	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	Department of National Development and Energy
Jurisdiction	Commonwealth of Australia
Headquarters	Australian Capital Territory
Minister responsible	Kevin Newman, Minister for National Development
Department executive	Alan Woods, Secretary

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.

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.

The Department was one of six abolished by the Whitlam government in December 1972. 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:

• Survey of immediate shortages in basic commodities and planning of improvements by increased production or import
• Promotion of decentralisation and regional development throughout the Commonwealth and the Territories of the Commonwealth
• Surveys of natural resources and development
• Planning the development of national resources generally, and in particular the development of primary and manufacturing industries and the stimulation of housing and building construction
• Administration of Commonwealth-State Housing Agreements
• Development planning in conjunction with the various States and, where necessary, co-ordination of such development planning, including the investigation of such national works as are referred to the Department by the Government
• In conjunction with Treasury and other interested Departments, to make arrangements with the respective States and Other Governmental authorities with regard to the cost and execution of development projects
• To control funds required for the approved programme of development work

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

• National energy planning and research
• Minerals exploration and resource assessment
• Water resources and electricity
• Geodesy and mapping
• Decentralisation

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

Order	Minister	Party		Prime Minister	Title	Term start	Term end	Term in office
1	John Dedman		Labor	Curtin	Minister for Postwar Reconstruction	2 February 1945	6 July 1945	4 years, 320 days
				Forde		6 July 1945	13 July 1945
				Chifley		13 July 1945	19 December 1949
2	Eric Harrison		Liberal	Menzies		19 December 1949	17 March 1950	88 days
3	Richard Casey				Minister for National Development	17 March 1950	11 May 1951	1 year, 55 days
4	Bill Spooner					11 May 1951	10 June 1964	13 years, 30 days
5	David Fairbairn					10 June 1964	21 January 1966	5 years, 155 days
				Holt		26 January 1966	19 December 1967
				McEwen		19 December 1967	10 January 1968
				Gorton		10 January 1968	12 November 1969
6	Reginald Swartz					12 November 1969	10 March 1971	3 years, 23 days
				McMahon		10 March 1971	5 December 1972
7	Lance Barnard		Labor	Whitlam		5 December 1972	19 December 1972	14 days
8	Rex Patterson				Minister for Northern Development	19 December 1972	11 November 1975	2 years, 327 days
9	Kevin Newman		Liberal	Fraser	Minister for National Development	20 December 1977	8 December 1979	1 year, 353 days
10	John Carrick				Minister for National Development and Energy	8 December 1979	11 March 1983	3 years, 93 days