Department of the Interior (1932–39)
The Department of the Interior was an Australian government department that existed between April 1932 and April 1939. It was the first so-named Australian Government department to be created, and was replaced by the Department of the Interior.Scope
Information about the department's functions and/or government funding allocation could be found in the Administrative Arrangements Orders, the annual Portfolio Budget Statements and in the Department's annual reports.
The Department was a composite department and dealt with a diverse range of activities. According to National Archives of Australia records, at its creation the Department dealt with:
- Aliens Registration
- Astronomy
- Australian War Memorial
- Commonwealth Literary Fund
- Conveyance of Members of Parliament and others
- Co-ordination of Australian Transport Services
- Elections and Franchise
- Emigration of children and aboriginals
- Federal Transport Council
- Forestry
- Geodesy
- Immigration
- Indentured Coloured Labour
- Lands and Survey
- Meteorology
- Naturalization
- Northern Territory
- Oil Investigation and Prospecting
- Passports
- Pearl Shelling and Trepang Fisheries in Australian waters beyond Territorial Limits
- Properties transferred acquired rented
- Prospecting for precious metals
- Public Works and Services
- Railways
- Rivers, roads and bridges
- Seat of Government
- Solar Observatory
- War Service Homes
- Waterside employment
Structure
The Department was a Commonwealth Public Service department, staffed by officials who were responsible to the Minister for the Interior.
