Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs

The former Australian Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) was a department of the Government of Australia located in Greenway in Canberra. It was formed in 2007 and absorbed the former Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. As a result of an Administrative Arrangements Order issued on 18 September 2013, the Department of Social Services was established and assumed most of the responsibilities of FaHCSIA; with indigenous affairs functions assumed by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.[3][4][5]

Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
Department overview
Formed3 December 2007
Preceding Department
Dissolved18 September 2013
Superseding agency
JurisdictionCommonwealth of Australia
HeadquartersGreenway, Canberra
Employees3,324 (at April 2013)[1]
Department executives
Websitefahcsia.gov.au
The main entrance to FaHCSIA's national headquarters

Operational activities

The former department's role was to develop social policies and support affected Australian society and the living standards of Australian families. The Office of Indigenous Policy Coordination was a part of FaHCSIA. In the Administrative Arrangements Order of 3 December 2007, the functions of the department were broadly classified into the following matters:[6]

  • Income security policies and programs for families with children, carers, the aged and people in hardship
  • Services for families with children, people with disabilities and carers
  • Community support services, excluding the Home and Community Care program
  • Family relationship services
  • Housing policy co-ordination, welfare housing and rent assistance
  • Women's policies and programs
  • Indigenous policy co-ordination and the promotion of reconciliation
  • Community development employment projects

Administrative structure
Main article: Minister for Social Services (Australia)
Ministers and parliamentary secretaries for the former Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
Start date End date Ministerial title Minister Ref.
3 Dec 2007 18 Sep 2013 Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
Minister for Disability Reform		 Jenny Macklin [7]
14 Dec 2011 18 Sep 2013 Minister for Housing and Homelessness, Community Services, Indigenous Employment and Economic Development
Minister for the Status of Women		 Julie Collins [7]
25 Mar 2013 18 Sep 2013 Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Carers Amanda Rishworth [7]
1 Jul 2013 18 Sep 2013 Parliamentary Secretary for Housing and Homelessness Doug Cameron [7]
4 Feb 2013 1 Jul 2013 Minister for Housing and Homelessness Mark Butler [7]
4 Feb 2013 1 Jul 2013 Parliamentary Secretary for Homelessness and Social Housing Melissa Parke [7]
14 Sep 2010 25 Mar 2013 Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Carers Jan McLucas [7]
5 Mar 2012 Feb 2013 Minister for Housing and Homelessness Brendan O'Connor [7]
14 Dec 2011 5 Mar 2012 Minister for Housing and Homelessness Robert McClelland [7]
14 Sep 2010 Nov 2011 Minister for Indigenous Employment and Economic Development
Minister for Social Housing and Homelessness		 Mark Arbib [7][8]
14 Sep 2010 Nov 2011 Minister for the Status of Women Kate Ellis [7][8]
3 Dec 2007 14 Sep 2010 Minister for Housing
Minister for Status of Women		 Tanya Plibersek [7][8]
3 Dec 2007 14 Sep 2010 Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children's Services
Parliamentary Secretary for Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction		 Bill Shorten [7][8]
3 Dec 2007 14 Sep 2010 Parliamentary Secretary for Social Inclusion and the Voluntary Sector Ursula Stephens [7][8]

The Secretaries of the department were:

  • Dr Jeff Harmer (3 December 2007 to April 2011). Harmer had been appointed Secretary of the previous Department of Families and Community Services in October 2004.[8][9]
  • Mr Finn Pratt (April 2011 to 18 September 2013).[8]

References
  1. Australian Public Service Commission (2 December 2013), State of the Service Report: State of the Service Series 2012-13 (PDF), Australian Public Service Commission, p. 253, archived from the original (PDF) on 6 December 2013
  2. Gillard, Julia (21 December 2010). "Departmental Secretaries" (Press release). Archived from the original on 1 January 2014.
  3. Packham, Ben (18 September 2013). "Tony Abbott puts broom through bureaucracy". The Australian. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  4. Abbott, Tony (18 September 2013). "The Coalition will restore strong, stable and accountable government" (Press release). Canberra, Australia: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Archived from the original on 20 September 2013. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  5. Wilson, Lauren (19 September 2013). "Coalition carves up the public service". The Australian. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  6. "Administrative Arrangement Order of 3 December 2007" (PDF). Government of Australia. 3 December 2007. p. 19. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 April 2013.
  7. Former Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries, Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, archived from the original on 24 September 2013, retrieved 24 September 2013
  8. CA 9193: Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 22 April 2014
  9. Malone, Paul (November 2006), "Chapter 13: The People's Choice – Jeff Harmer, Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs", Australian Department Heads Under Howard: Career Paths and Practice (Collected articles from the Canberra Times), ANU E Press and ANZSOG, ISBN 1 920942 83 1, archived from the original on 27 September 2013


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